Substance
sunscreen Audio
sun·screen [ suhn-skreen ]
Subclass of:
Radiation-Protective Agents; Dermatologic Agents; Cosmetics
Definitions related to sunscreening agents:
  • (sunscreen) A substance that helps protect the skin from the sun's harmful rays. Sunscreens reflect, absorb, and scatter both ultraviolet A and B radiation to provide protection against both types of radiation. Using lotions, creams, or gels that contain sunscreens can help protect the skin from premature aging and damage that may lead to skin cancer.
    NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms
    U.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
  • (sunscreen) Substance applied to the skin to protect it from the effects of sunlight; sunscreens act by absorbing ultraviolet radiation or by reflecting the incident light.
    CRISP Thesaurus
    National Institutes of Health, 2006
  • Chemical or physical agents that protect the skin from sunburn and erythema by absorbing or blocking ultraviolet radiation.
    NLM Medical Subject Headings
    U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2025
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This content should not be used in place of medically-reviewed decision support reference material or professional medical advice. Some terms may have alternate or updated definitions not reflected in this set. The definitions on this page should not be considered complete or up to date.