eyelid

noun

eye·​lid ˈī-ˌlid How to pronounce eyelid (audio)
: 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Some may achieve excellent results with a more traditional facelift, while others benefit from a deep-plane approach, often combined with neck contouring, eyelid surgery or fat grafting. Carlos Wolf, Miami Herald, 17 June 2026 How the Living Eye Drops Work The Pitt team engineered Corynebacterium mastitidis, a benign microbe that already resides under the eyelid, to continuously secrete interleukin-10 (IL-10), a small protein that regulates inflammation. Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 16 June 2026 The microbe lives under the eyelid and keeps producing the anti-inflammatory protein over time. Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 16 June 2026 Affected babies may show symptoms including constipation, poor feeding, drooping eyelid, sluggish pupils, low muscle tone, difficulty sucking and swallowing, weak or altered crying, difficulty breathing, and generalized weakness. Kerry Breen, CBS News, 14 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for eyelid

Word History

First Known Use

12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of eyelid was in the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Eyelid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/eyelid. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

eyelid

noun
eye·​lid ˈī-ˌlid How to pronounce eyelid (audio)
: one of the movable lids of skin and muscle that can be closed over the eyeball

Medical Definition

eyelid

noun
eye·​lid ˈī-ˌlid How to pronounce eyelid (audio)
: either of the movable lids of skin and muscle that can be closed over the eyeball

called also palpebra

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