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

Telogen effluvium is a condition that pushes an abnormal amount of hair follicles into the telogen phase, leading to more shedding than usual. —Asuka Koda, CNN Money, 14 Nov. 2025

These muscles are called arrector pili muscles, and they’re connected to your hair follicles. —Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 12 Nov. 2025

Folliculitis Folliculitis is inflammation of the hair follicles. —Lindsay Curtis, Health, 30 Oct. 2025

While these results are limited to mice, the principle – that controled skin stress can reactivate hair follicle stem cells through fat-cell messengers – provides a promising new direction for research into hair regrowth therapies. —New Atlas, 29 Oct. 2025

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