Cornifies

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To transform into a tough, keratinized form with a hardened exterior
2. To undergo a process resulting in a rigid outer layer that provides protection
3. To change into a firm, horn-like layer by producing keratin on the surface

Etymology: "Cornifies" is the third-person singular form of "cornify," which is built from "corn," meaning a horn-like hardened growth, and the suffix "-ify," meaning "to make or become." The "corn" element comes from Latin "cornu," meaning "horn," the same root that gives English words like "cornucopia" and "unicorn." The word's core idea is literal: something that is made horny or hard. Biologists and anatomists use it for tissues that undergo keratinization, the process by which cells fill with the tough protein keratin and die off to form a protective outer layer, as skin and hair do.