1) The external, nonvascular layer of the skin. It is made up, from within outward, of five layers of epithelium: (a) basal layer (stratum basale epidermidis); (b) spinous layer (stratum spinosum epidermidis); (c) granular layer (stratum granulosum epidermidis); (d) clear layer (stratum lucidum epidermidis); and (e) horny layer (stratum corneum epidermidis).

2) The upper or outer layer of the two main layers of tissue that make up the skin.