Ma'anar ƙamus na "melanism" shine yanayin da dabba ko shuka ke da adadin baƙar fata ko kusan baƙar fata a fatarta, fur, ko gashinsa, wanda ke haifar da duhu ko baƙar fata. Wannan yana faruwa ne ta hanyar wuce haddi na melanin, pigment wanda ke ba da launi ga fata, gashi, da idanu. Melanism shine kishiyar zabiya, wanda dabba ko tsiro ba su da launi kuma suna bayyana fari ko mara launi.
