collagen

noun

col·​la·​gen ˈkä-lə-jən 

: any of a group of fibrous proteins that occur in vertebrates as the chief constituent of connective tissue fibrils and in bones and yield gelatin and glue upon boiling with water

collagenous

kə-ˈla-jə-nəs 

adjective

Examples of collagen in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Lack of collagen causes your skin to be less supported and become wrinkly. —Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 4 Feb. 2026

Formulated with retinol to firm wrinkles and collagen to plump fine lines, this Simply Vital cream is worthy of a spot in your skin care regimen. —Kyra Surgent, InStyle, 4 Feb. 2026

Priced at $88 for a 30-day supply of capsules, the supplement adresses hair loss among Gen X and Boomer men for whom later-stage androgenetic alopecia is perhaps one cause of hair loss, but aging and collagen loss, among other biological shifts, are the foremost culprits. —Noor Lobad, Footwear News, 3 Feb. 2026

The jelly moisturizer is packed with ingredients like collagen and hyaluronic acid to hydrate skin. —Isabel Garcia, PEOPLE, 23 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Greek kolla + International Scientific Vocabulary -gen

First Known Use

circa 1865, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for collagen

• procollagen

Kids Definition

collagen

noun

col·​la·​gen ˈkäl-ə-jən 

: a protein that occurs in the form of fibers, does not dissolve, is found in connective tissue, and forms glue and gelatin upon boiling with water

Medical Definition

collagen

noun

col·​la·​gen ˈkäl-ə-jən 

: an insoluble fibrous protein of vertebrates that is the chief constituent of the fibrils of connective tissue (as in skin and tendons) and of the organic substance of bones and yields gelatin and glue on prolonged heating with water

collagenic

ˌkäl-ə-ˈjen-ik 

adjective

collagenous

kə-ˈlaj-ə-nəs 

adjective