pia mater

[ pahy-uh-mey-ter, pee-uh ]

/ ˈpaɪ ə ˈmeɪ tər, ˈpi ə /

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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. 2023

How to use pia mater in a sentence

For the first time since I put my acceptance letter in the mail, I woke up this morning ashamed of my alma mater.
How UVA Is Failing Its Women|Allison McNearney|November 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He was disappointed to find out that his alma mater was not represented.
DINO Hunters Are Dreaming Hipster Dreams of the DNC in Brooklyn|David Freedlander|August 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And then there's Laurie (Amy Brenneman), the Garveys' mater familias.
‘The Leftovers’ Review: A Fever Dream You Can’t Wake Up From|Andrew Romano|June 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
One suspects that the young men will not be hurtling back to their alma “step-mater” any time soon.
India Row Evokes Cricket’s Ultranationalist Tebbit Test|Tunku Varadarajan|March 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Do you know Richard Bargis, assistant professor of philosophy at your alma mater?
How to Make Frenemies on LinkedIn|Kelly Williams Brown|March 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The Vulgate translates: “Et obviabit illi quasi mater honorificata, et quasi mulier a virginitate suscipiet illum.”
Solomon and Solomonic Literature|Moncure Daniel Conway
Among these are "Medusa," a bronze bust; and a "Mater Dolorosa," in terra-cotta.
Women in the fine arts, from the Seventh Century B.C. to the Twentieth Century A.D.|Clara Erskine Clement
In the group of coins here illustrated it will be noticed that the Mater Deorum is conventionally throned upon a rock.
Archaic England|Harold Bayley
The mater has a herd of them—jolly little beasts, but a bit wicked, some of them.
Mary Gray|Katharine Tynan
The dura mater should be carefully protected from injury as well as the pin.
Old-Time Makers of Medicine|James J. Walsh

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

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.