hair follicle

noun

: the tubular epithelial sheath that surrounds the lower part of the hair shaft and encloses at the bottom a vascular papilla supplying the growing basal part of the hair with nourishment see hair illustration

Examples of hair follicle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Machinery Behind Greying Hair Hair color comes from melanocytes, pigment-producing cells living in the hair follicle that load each growing strand with melanin. — Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026

Minoxidil works by reversing the miniaturization of the hair follicle, which leads to thin hair. — Deanna Pai, Vogue, 1 July 2026

Scalp-supporting prebiotics create an optimal environment for hair follicles, yielding stronger, healthier strands over time. — Sophie Wirt, InStyle, 22 June 2026

In men who develop it, hair follicles are genetically sensitive to dihydrotestosterone, or DHT, a hormone derived from testosterone. — Jay Sparks, USA Today, 15 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1838, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for hair follicle

• diabolical
• symbolical

Kids Definition

hair follicle

noun

: the tube-shaped sheath surrounding the lower part of a hair shaft

Medical Definition

hair follicle

noun

: the tubular epithelial sheath that surrounds the lower part of the hair shaft and encloses at the bottom a vascular papilla supplying the growing basal part of the hair with nourishment