The term Dermis is a layer of skin found beneath the epidermis. It is composed of connective tissue and is the thickest layer of the skin. The term is derived from the Greek word DERMA, meaning skin. Endo is a prefix meaning within or inner, while derm is a root word meaning skin. DERMA is a variant of derm, also meaning skin. Therefore, the term Dermis can be broken down into its component parts to mean 'inner skin'.