What does dermic mean?
Dermic is a formal adjective meaning 'of or relating to the skin'. It derives from Greek roots and belongs to the same word family as dermatology, epidermis, and hypodermic, all of which trace back to the Greek 'derma', meaning skin. The term appears almost exclusively in medical, pharmacological, and scientific registers, where it may describe anything from dermic absorption of a drug to dermic tissue in an anatomical description. A closely related sense restricts the word to the dermis proper — the thick layer of connective tissue lying beneath the epidermis. In practice, dermic is considerably rarer than its synonyms: 'dermal' dominates modern clinical writing, while 'cutaneous' is favoured in medical literature generally. Readers will therefore encounter dermic mostly in older texts or specialised sources, but its meaning remains transparent to anyone familiar with the many English words built on that same Greek root for skin.
adjectiveRelating to or situated in the skin; of or pertaining to the dermis.
- Relating to or affecting the skin.
- Of or pertaining to the dermis, the layer of skin beneath the epidermis.
"The ointment is designed for dermic application and should not be ingested."
"Certain chemicals can be absorbed through dermic contact, so gloves are essential in the laboratory."
"The study compared dermic thickness across different age groups."
Every 'dermatology' appointment you've ever had traces back to the same Greek root as this rare little word for 'of the skin'.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of dermic
Dermic comes from the Greek 'derma' (genitive 'dermatos'), meaning skin or hide, combined with the adjectival suffix '-ic'. It entered English through the international scientific vocabulary built on Greek roots during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. It shares this origin with dermatology, epidermis, hypodermic, and taxidermy, all of which preserve the same Greek root in modern technical English.
How dermic is actually used
A formal, technical adjective found chiefly in medical and scientific writing. In everyday and even most clinical contexts, 'dermal' or 'cutaneous' is strongly preferred; 'dermic' survives mainly as a rarer variant.
Easily confused with dermic
Both mean 'relating to the skin', but 'dermal' is by far the more common term in modern usage, while 'dermic' is a rarer variant.
'Hypodermic' means situated beneath or introduced under the skin, whereas 'dermic' refers to the skin itself.