(melanosis) n. an unusually pronounced darkening of body tissues caused by excessive production of the pigment *melanin. For example, melanism may affect the hair, the skin (after sunburn, during pregnancy, or in *Addison’s disease), or the eye.
n. 1. see melanism. 2. a disorder in the body’s production of the pigment melanin. 3. *cachexia associated with the spread of the skin cancer *melanoma. —melanotic adj.... melanosis