cornea

noun

cor·​nea ˈkȯr-nē-ə 

: the transparent part of the coat of the eyeball that covers the iris and pupil and admits light to the interior see eye illustration

corneal

ˈkȯr-nē-əl 

adjective

Examples of cornea in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Artificial tears can help with lubrication and comfort as the cornea heals. —Alyssa Hui, Verywell Health, 3 Apr. 2024

But the eye is quite a challenge for electronics design: With one of the highest nerve densities of any human tissue, the cornea is 300 to 600 times as sensitive as our skin. —IEEE Spectrum, 1 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, borrowed from Medieval Latin (short for cornea tēla "horny web," cornea tunica "horny covering," translating Greek kerātoeidḕs chitṓn), from feminine of Latin corneus "horny" — more at corneous

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

cornea

noun

cor·​nea ˈkȯr-nē-ə 

: the transparent part of the coat of the eyeball that covers the iris and pupil and lets light through to the interior

corneal

-nē-əl 

adjective

Medical Definition

cornea

noun

cor·​nea ˈkȯr-nē-ə 

: the transparent part of the coat of the eyeball that covers the iris and pupil and admits light to the interior

corneal

-əl 

adjective