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

That clears dead skin buildup and helps unclog hair follicles. — Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Sep. 2026

One of the closest to market is Cosmo’s topical medicine, clascoterone, which targets the root cause of male-pattern hair loss by blocking a hormone that causes it directly at the hair follicle. — Avalon Pernell, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026

Instead, your body diverts its limited calories elsewhere, pushing hair follicles into a two- to four-month resting phase before hair eventually sheds. — Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 25 Aug. 2026

Rapid weight loss is a physiological stressor that can push hair follicles prematurely out of their growth phase and into a resting phase. — Jesse Pines, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 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