meninges

American  

[mi-nin-jeez] / mɪˈnɪn dʒiz /

plural noun

Anatomy.

singular

meninx

1. the three membranes covering the brain and spinal cord.

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meninges British  

/ mɪˈnɪndʒɪəl, mɪˈnɪndʒiːz /

plural noun

1. the three membranes that envelop the brain and spinal cord See dura mater arachnoid pia mater

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meninges Scientific  

/ mə-nĭn′jēz /

1. The three membranes that enclose the vertebrate brain and spinal cord: the pia mater, arachnoid, and dura mater.

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meninges Cultural  

1. The membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord.

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Other Word Forms

• intermeningeal adjective
• meningeal adjective
• postmeningeal adjective
• submeningeal adjective

Etymology

Origin of meninges

1610–20; < New Latin < Greek mḗninges, plural of mêninx membrane

Explanation

The protective membranes that surround your brain and spinal cord are called meninges. Your meninges do an important job — helping to keep your nervous system safe from harm. The illness known as meningitis is an inflammation of the meninges that's caused by a viral or bacterial infection. This condition can be serious because of how close the brain is to the meninges and how vital they are for protecting it. The Greek root, meninx, means "membrane."

Example Sentences

Meningitis is the swelling of the meninges – the tissues surrounding the brain and spinal cord – and it is usually caused by a bacterial infection.

From BBC • Oct. 5, 2025

Second, an antibody was used to block the activity of T cells in the meninges.

From Science Daily • Dec. 4, 2023

So if you bend the neck, because the meninges are inflamed, the knees will also bend.

From Scientific American • May 22, 2023

The meninges comprise three layers that surround the brain: pia, arachnoid and dura.

From Salon • Nov. 20, 2022

When only one ear is affected the deafness is of more serious import, as it is then dependent upon the presence of local inflammation, which may possibly extend to the meninges.

From A System of Practical Medicine by American Authors, Vol. I Volume 1: Pathology and General Diseases by Various