pellicle

noun

pel·​li·​cle ˈpe-li-kəl 

plural pellicles

: a thin skin or film: such as

a

: an outer membrane of some protozoans (such as euglenoids or paramecia)

b

: a film that reflects a part of the light falling upon it and transmits the rest and that is used for dividing a beam of light (as in a photographic device)

c

: a slimy or gelatinous film that contains bacteria, yeasts, or both and that may form on the surface of a liquid (such as beer, wine, or kombucha) during the process of fermentation

Examples of pellicle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

That’s why in today’s lithography tools, the photomask is covered by a transparent pellicle. —IEEE Spectrum, 5 Jan. 2018

Word History

Etymology

Middle French pellicule, from Medieval Latin pellicula, from Latin, diminutive of pellis

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for pellicle

• evangelical
• helical

Kids Definition

pellicle

noun

pel·​li·​cle ˈpel-i-kəl 

: a thin skin, film, or membrane (as of a paramecium)

Medical Definition

pellicle

noun

pel·​li·​cle ˈpel-i-kəl 

: a thin skin or film: as

a

: an outer membrane of some protozoans (as euglenoids or paramecia)

b

: a bacterial growth in the form of a sheet on the surface of a liquid medium

c

: a thin layer of salivary glycoproteins coating the surface of the teeth