basilar membrane

American  

noun

Anatomy.

1. a supporting membrane, especially the membrane that supports the organ of Corti in the ear and aids in translating sound vibrations into electrical signals.

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Etymology

Origin of basilar membrane

First recorded in 1865–70

Example Sentences

The hair cells are arranged on the basilar membrane in an orderly way.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

Once in the cochlea, the energy causes the basilar membrane to flex, thereby bending the stereocilia on receptor hair cells.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

Figure 14.10 Frequency Coding in the Cochlea The standing sound wave generated in the cochlea by the movement of the oval window deflects the basilar membrane on the basis of the frequency of sound.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

Therefore, as the frequency of a sound changes, different hair cells are activated all along the basilar membrane.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

Physiologically, one or more basilar membrane fibres are excited by both, and this fact gives the positive feeling of relationship or consonance.

From The Psychology of Beauty by Howes, Ethel Dench Puffer