eyelid

noun

eye·​lid ˈī-ˌlid 

: either of the movable folds of skin and muscle that can be closed over the eyeball

Examples of eyelid in a Sentence

the upper eyelid of the left eye

Recent Examples on the Web

According to court records, police found Dunn deceased in a motel room with bruises on her body, including her neck and face, and her eyelids were swollen and discolored. — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 25 Aug. 2026

As if by magic, my heavy eyelids closed on a gray, industrial cityscape and reopened to breathtaking views of the southwest Scottish coastline. — Lucy Bruton, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Aug. 2026

The Yfong Weighted Sleep Mask applies gentle weight around your eyes and has a contoured shape that leaves room for your eyelids and lashes, plus an adjustable strap. — Brandon Schultz, Travel + Leisure, 21 Aug. 2026

Yellowish deposits on or around the eyelids, grayish-white rings around the cornea and yellowish bumps or nodules on the tendons, including the Achilles tendon or the tendons on the back of the hand, can all be a cause for concern. — Gavin Escott, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

12th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing eyelid

• not bat an eyelid

Rhymes for eyelid

• amid
• forbid
• majid
• masjid
• outbid
• outdid
• plasmid
• turbid
• undid
• bid
• did
• grid

Kids Definition

eyelid

noun

eye·​lid ˈī-ˌlid 

: one of the movable lids of skin and muscle that can be closed over the eyeball

Medical Definition

eyelid

noun

eye·​lid ˈī-ˌlid 

: either of the movable lids of skin and muscle that can be closed over the eyeball

called also palpebra