From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishcuticlecu‧ti‧cle /ˈkjuːtɪkəl/ noun [countable] HBHthe area of hard skin around the base of your nails
Examples from the Corpus
cuticle• It will also help strengthen nails and moisturise cuticles.• The golden iridescence of Cassida and its allies is produced by a film of moisture beneath the surface cuticle.• This allowed the cuticles, which protect the nail bed from infection, to soften.• On the emergence of the adult the wing is inflated to its full size by blood-pressure and the cuticle hardens.• Here the cuticle becomes infolded and is membranous in character.• These form a layer at or near the surface or are incorporated into inner layers of the cuticle.• Conditioner helps to make split ends less noticeable because it smooths the cuticles down and improves hair appearance.• They are rigidly connected with the cuticle, having no membranous articulation and are therefore readily separable from cuticular appendages.Origin cuticle (1400-1500) Latin cuticula, from cutis “skin” 