Epithelialise

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To cover a wound or exposed surface with a layer of epithelial cells as the tissue regrows and seals over
2. Forming a protective sheet of epithelium that spreads across a damaged area of the body to restore its covering
3. Becoming lined or overlaid with epithelial tissue, so that a raw surface is sealed by new cell layers

Etymology: "Epithelialise" is a plain formation: the adjective "epithelial", which describes the epithelium, the layer of tissue that covers the body's outer surfaces and lines its internal cavities, combined with the verb-forming suffix "-ise". The result means to cover a raw surface with new epithelial tissue, as happens when a wound heals. The adjective itself is built from Greek. "Epithelium" joins "epi-", meaning "upon", and "thēlē", meaning "nipple" or "teat", a name that reflects the tissue's position on top of the underlying layers. The suffix "-ise" attaches the verb sense of making or becoming something, so the word describes a process rather than a thing.