membrane

[ mem-breyn ]

noun

1. Anatomy. a thin, pliable sheet or layer of animal or vegetable tissue, serving to line an organ, connect parts, etc.
2. Cell Biology. the thin, limiting covering of a cell or cell part.

membrane

/ ˈmɛmbreɪn /

noun

1. any thin pliable sheet of material
2. a pliable sheetlike usually fibrous tissue that covers, lines, or connects plant and animal organs or cells
3. biology a double layer of lipid, containing some proteins, that surrounds biological cells and some of their internal structures
4. physics a two-dimensional entity postulated as a fundamental constituent of matter in superstring theories of particle physics
5. a skin of parchment forming part of a roll

membrane

/ mĕm′brān′ /

1. A thin, flexible layer of tissue that covers, lines, separates, or connects cells or parts of an organism. Membranes are usually made of layers of phospholipids containing suspended protein molecules and are permeable to water and fat-soluble substances.
2. See cell membrane
3. Chemistry.
   A thin sheet of natural or synthetic material that is permeable to substances in solution.

Other Words From

• membrane·less adjective
• inter·membrane adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of membrane¹

1375–1425; late Middle English; Middle English membraan parchment < Latin membrāna. See member, -an

Word History and Origins

Origin of membrane¹

C16: from Latin membrāna skin covering a part of the body, from membrum member

Example Sentences

The vest is heated with a removable, rechargeable lithium-ion battery that is discreetly sewn into the garment in an accessible location, and they all include a waterproof membrane to keep the wires and battery safe from water.

From Popular-Science

Often, organelles are individual sacks of proteins set off from the rest of the cell by a membrane.

From Science News For Students

Also, the metal gears that make up the best mechanical keyboards are far sturdier than they are in plastic membrane models.

From Popular-Science

We recommend selecting a two- or three-layer waterproof glove that has a breathable membrane like Gore-Tex.

From Popular-Science

The ability to form an outer membrane around the organism that separates it from the external world.

From Nautilus

Traveling through the bodily fluids of an infected person, Ebola enters through a mucous membrane or break in the skin.

From The Daily Beast

Water has to be pushed through a semipermeable membrane that blocks the salt and other impurities from going through.

From The Daily Beast

When they are done, the casing has transformed from translucent membrane into chewy, wrinkled coat.

From The Daily Beast

You ever heard of something called membrane theory, detectives?

From The Daily Beast

Small fragments of mucous membrane may be found, and when examined by a pathologist, may occasionally establish the diagnosis.

From Project Gutenberg

The damage which they do to the mucous membrane favors bacterial invasion.

From Project Gutenberg

It lives in the large intestine, especially the cecum, with its slender extremity embedded in the mucous membrane.

From Project Gutenberg

The thread was lodged in the perforated part, and consequently left in contact with the cellular membrane.

From Project Gutenberg

Of these coats he rightly supposes the outermost to be merely the epidermis of the middle membrane or testa.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• sheath
• sheet