membrane

American  

[mem-breyn] / ˈmɛm breɪn /

noun

membranes plural

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.

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membrane British  

/ 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

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membrane Scientific  

/ 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.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• intermembrane
  adjective
• membraneless
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• membranes
  plural

Etymology

Origin of membrane

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

Explanation

A membrane is a thin layer of something. For an example of a membrane, you don’t have to look far: your skin is a kind of membrane. Membranes are thin and flexible, but usually still strong enough to protect what’s inside or underneath them. Biologists often study membranes, such as those that surround your cells and organs. There are also membranes that don’t have anything to do with biology. A high-tech jacket might have a waterproof membrane to keep you dry in the rain.

Example Sentences

Eventually they want to advance to carbon dioxide captured from the smoke plume at nearby Dry Fork Station, using a technique developed by California-based Membrane Technology and Research, Inc.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 15, 2022

The film also centers on Zim’s hapless attempts at planetary conquest, but his longtime nemesis Professor Membrane is determined to thwart his plans once again — if Zim doesn’t manage to do that himself first.

From New York Times • Aug. 17, 2019

Keynes, R. D. & Martins-Ferreira, H. Membrane potentials in the electroplates of the electric eel.

From Nature • Dec. 12, 2017

Its EZ-Clean Membrane removes 99.99% of harmful bacteria, surpassing EPA standards.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 3, 2017

It proceeds from the outward Lip of the Os Ilion, is ty'd by a large Membrane to the top of the Perone or Fibula and sometimes descends to the end of the Foot.

From The Compleat Surgeon or, the whole Art of Surgery explain'd in a most familiar Method. by Le Clerc, Charles Gabriel

Related Words

• sheath
• sheet