membrane definition

English membrane definition

Etymology

Late Middle English, borrowed from Latin membrāna (“skin or membrane that covers parts of the body”), from membrum (“a limb or member of the body”) +‎ -āna. Doublet of membrana.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmɛm.bɹeɪn/

• Audio (GA)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛmbɹeɪn

Noun

membrane (plural membranes)

1. (anatomy, zootomy) A flexible enclosing or separating tissue forming a plane or film and separating two environments.

   Hyponyms: aperture membrane, basement membrane, Bruch's membrane, cyclitic membrane, Descemet's membrane, hyaloid membrane, Jacob's membrane, mucous membrane, nictating membrane, nictitating membrane, Reissner's membrane, ruptured membrane, Schneiderian membrane, serous membrane, synovial membrane, tectorial membrane, tympanic membrane, virginal membrane, Zinn's membrane

   1. A mechanical, thin, flat flexible part that can deform or vibrate when excited by an external force.

      Hyponym: single-ply membrane

   2. A flexible or semiflexible covering or waterproofing whose primary function is to exclude water.
   3. (biology) A microscopic double layer of lipids and proteins forming the boundary of cells or organelles.

      Hyponyms: cell membrane, haptogenic membrane, ion-selective membrane, nuclear membrane, plasma membrane

2. A piece of parchment forming part of a roll.

Derived terms

Translations

References

• “membrane”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
• “membrane”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.

French membrane definition

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin membrāna.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mɑ̃.bʁan/

Noun

membrane f (plural membranes)

1. membrane

Derived terms

Further reading

• “membrane”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Italian membrane definition

Noun

membrane f pl

1. plural of membrana

Romanian membrane definition

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /memˈbra.ne/

Noun

membrane

1. plural of membrană