membrane

noun

mem·​brane ˈmem-ˌbrān How to pronounce membrane (audio)
1
: a thin soft pliable sheet or layer especially of animal or plant origin
2
: a piece of parchment forming part of a roll
membraned adjective

Examples of membrane in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
That’s because of something called positional alcohol nystagmus, Dr. Piker explains: Within your inner ear, the alcohol gets absorbed at different rates by the fluid and the membrane, which means the two no longer share the same specific gravity. Rachel Nall, SELF, 17 June 2025 About 80 percent of cases start with those skin and mucus membrane masses showing up in the second or third decade of life. Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 12 June 2025 Maintaining what are known as membrane potentials — stable voltages across a neuron’s membrane that ensure that the cell is primed to fire when called upon — is known to account for at least half of the brain’s total energy budget. Conor Feehly, Quanta Magazine, 4 June 2025 Meningococcal disease, also known as meningitis, is an infection and inflammation of the fluid and membranes around the brain and spinal cord, according to the Mayo Clinic. Kimberlee Speakman, People.com, 21 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for membrane

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin membrana skin, parchment, from membrum

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of membrane was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Membrane.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/membrane. Accessed 28 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

membrane

noun
mem·​brane ˈmem-ˌbrān How to pronounce membrane (audio)
: a thin soft flexible sheet or layer especially of a plant or animal part (as a cell, tissue, or organ)
membranous
ˈmem-brə-nəs
adjective

Medical Definition

membrane

noun
mem·​brane ˈmem-ˌbrān How to pronounce membrane (audio)
1
: a thin soft pliable sheet or layer especially of animal or plant origin
2
: a limiting protoplasmic surface or interface see nuclear membrane, plasma membrane
membraned adjective

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