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pia mater

[ pahy-uh -mey-ter, pee-uh ]
/ ˈpaɪ ə ˈmeɪ tər, ˈpi ə /

noun Anatomy.

the delicate, fibrous, and highly vascular membrane forming the innermost of the three coverings of the brain and spinal cord.

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Compare arachnoid (def. 6), dura mater.

Origin of pia mater

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Medieval Latin: literally, “pious mother,” erroneous translation of Arabic umm raqīqah “tender mother,” Arabic umm “mother” also serving as an indicator of relationship between things; cf. dura mater

Words nearby pia mater

Piaf, piaffe, Piaget, Piagetian, pial, pia mater, pian, pianette, pianism, pianissimo, pianist
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for pia mater

  • Pia-mater, a membrane which invests the brain and the spinal cord; it is of a delicate vascular tissue.

    The Nuttall Encyclopaedia|Edited by Rev. James Wood

British Dictionary definitions for pia mater

pia mater
/ (ˈpaɪə ˈmeɪtə) /

noun

the innermost of the three membranes (meninges) that cover the brain and spinal cordSee meninges

Word Origin for pia mater

C16: from Medieval Latin, literally: pious mother, intended to translate Arabic umm raqīqah tender mother
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medical definitions for pia mater

pia mater
[ pī′ə mā′tər, pē′ə mä′tər ]

n.

The fine vascular membrane that closely envelops the brain and spinal cord under the arachnoid and the dura mater.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.

Scientific definitions for pia mater

pia mater
[ pī′ə mā′tər, pē′ə mä′tər ]

The fine vascular membrane that closely envelops the brain and spinal cord under the arachnoid and the dura mater.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.