serous membrane

American  

noun

Anatomy, Zoology.

1. any of various thin membranes, as the peritoneum, that line certain cavities of the body and exude a serous fluid.

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serous membrane British  

noun

1. any of the smooth moist delicate membranes, such as the pleura or peritoneum, that line the closed cavities of the body and secrete a watery exudate

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Etymology

Origin of serous membrane

First recorded in 1865–70

Example Sentences

The most superficial layer is the serous membrane, or perimetrium, which consists of epithelial tissue that covers the exterior portion of the uterus.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

If a bullet were to penetrate a lung, which three anterior thoracic body cavities would it enter, and which layer of the serous membrane would it encounter first?

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

The pericardial sac consists of two fused layers: an outer fibrous capsule and an inner parietal pericardium lined with a serous membrane.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

The outer tunica vaginalis is a serous membrane that has both a parietal and a thin visceral layer.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

Lining the walls of this cavity, just as in a general way, a paper lines the walls of a room, is a delicate serous membrane, called the peritoneum.

From A Practical Physiology by Blaisdell, Albert F.