Definition

A type of protein that makes the outer covering of some insects and other arthropods hard and stiff.

Example

Sclerotin helps protect insects by hardening their exoskeletons.

Conversation

Have you ever heard of sclerotin?

No, what's that?

It's a protein that helps harden the exoskeletons of insects.

That sounds pretty interesting! I didn't know proteins could do that.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Sclerotin is derived from "sclero-" (from Greek "skleros", meaning hard) and "-tin" (a suffix used in chemistry to denote a substance). The word refers to a hardening substance, particularly in the context of biological materials.

Memory Tip

Think of 'hard' ('sclero-') to remember that 'sclerotin' refers to a substance that hardens.

Visually Confused Words