Epidermical

/ˌɛpɪˈdɜrmɪkəl/ adjective

Definition

Relating to the epidermis; of or pertaining to the outer layer of skin, formed by adding '-al' to 'epidermic.'

Etymology

From epidermic plus the suffix '-al,' creating a doubly-suffixed adjective that combines both '-ic' and '-al' endings—a somewhat redundant formation that appears in older scientific texts but is rarely used in modern medicine.

Kelly Says

Adding '-al' to 'epidermic' to make 'epidermical' is technically redundant since both already mean the same thing—it's like saying 'really real' instead of 'real,' and this is why modern English has naturally phased it out in favor of simpler forms!

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