the outermost lipoprotein layer of the insect cuticle
epicuticle in American English
(ˌepɪˈkjuːtɪkəl)
noun
the thin, waxy outer layer of the insect exoskeleton
Word origin
[1925–30; epi- + cuticle]This word is first recorded in the period 1925–30. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: Nazi, chain reaction, decibel, hot spot, off-lineepi- is a prefix occurring in loanwords from Greek, where it meant “upon,” “on,” “over,”“near,” “at,” “before,” “after” (epicedium; epidermis; epigene; epitome). On this model, epi- is used in the formation of new compound words (epicardium; epinephrine)
Examples of 'epicuticle' in a sentence
epicuticle
During the premolt period, the new epicuticle and exocuticle (preecdysial cuticle)were synthesized on the inside of the old ones.
Pornpimol Kirirat, Piyakorn Boonyoung, Waraporn Promwikorn 2005, 'Histological characterization of cuticular depositions throughout the molting cycleof the black tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon)', Songklanakarin Journal of Science and Technology (SJST)http://www.sjst.psu.ac.th/journal/27-3-pdf/06black-tiger-shrimp.pdf. Retrieved from DOAJ CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/legalcode)