What does epicanthus mean?
An epicanthus is a fold of skin at the inner, or medial, corner of the eye. It can partially or completely cover the canthus, the region where the upper and lower eyelids meet. In humans, an epicanthus may be present from birth, while comparable folds occur naturally in a number of other mammals and are sometimes noted as breed characteristics. The term is used chiefly in medical examinations, ophthalmology, anatomy, and veterinary description. Epicanthus should be understood as a description of a particular anatomical feature rather than as evidence of any biological group; older racial classifications that treated such folds as fixed markers are now regarded as scientifically unsound. In ordinary conversation, the expression epicanthic fold is often used alongside the technical noun, and the distinction matters because the condition can sometimes affect how the eye appears to align or how moisture is distributed across its surface.
nounA fold of skin at the medial, or inner, corner of the eye that may cover the canthus. The term is used especially for a congenital fold in humans and for analogous anatomical features in other mammals.
- A fold of skin at the inner corner of the eye, especially a congenital fold in humans or a comparable feature in other mammals.
"The ophthalmologist noted a congenital epicanthus affecting the inner corner of the child's left eye."
"Congenital epicanthus was visible in both eyes during the examination."
"The veterinary description mentioned a prominent epicanthus as a breed characteristic."
The standard English plural adds the ending -es; epicanthi may appear in Latinized medical writing but is not the usual plural in general English.
"The clinician explained that mild epicanthuses are common in infants."
At the eye's inner corner, a canthus is a corner and an epicanthus is a curtain.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does epicanthus come from?
Epicanthus is a New Latin formation combining Greek epi-, meaning “upon” or “over,” with Greek kanthos, meaning “corner of the eye.” The root had already entered English through canthus, which comes from Latin canthus, a borrowing of the Greek word. It also underlies terms such as telecanthus, canthitis, and canthoplasty, although these belong to different specialized uses of the same anatomical root.
Related word forms
How epicanthus is actually used
This is a specialist anatomical term used in medicine, physical anthropology, and veterinary science. In older physical-anthropological literature, epicanthic folds were sometimes incorporated into outdated racial typologies; such terminology is no longer accepted as a basis for biological classification.
Easily confused with epicanthus
A canthus is the anatomical corner or region where the eyelids meet, whereas an epicanthus is a skin fold that may cover that area.