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third eyelid

American  

third eyelid British  

noun

  1. another name for nictitating membrane

"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

Example Sentences

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The surgery was complicated by the unique characteristics of penguins, such as a third eyelid, which protects their eyes underwater but had a tendency to close during the surgery.

From BBC ● Mar. 17, 2023

His daughter searched for information online and learned about a membrane, or third eyelid, that protects the birds’ peepers in-flight and on fishing expeditions.

From Washington Post ● Jul. 1, 2022

A third eyelid, between the regular eyelids and the cornea, protects the globe and also has a gland at the bottom that produces extra tears.

From New York Times ● Jun. 2, 2014

The vestigial third eyelid in man is enough of itself to prove his relationship with the mammals, but it is only one example out of many.

From The Outline of Science, Vol. 1 (of 4) A Plain Story Simply Told by J. Arthur Thomson

The eye is provided with a nictitating membrane or third eyelid, at the base of which open the ducts of the Harderian gland.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 13, Slice 6 "Home, Daniel" to "Hortensius, Quintus" by Various

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