: transparent or nearly so and usually homogeneous
1
: something (such as the clear atmosphere) that is transparent
2
or hyalin
: any of several translucent nitrogenous substances related to chitin, found especially around cells, and readily stained by eosin
Examples of hyaline in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 10 Apr. 2025
Heavy drinkers had a whopping 133% higher likelihood of having hyaline arteriolosclerosis compared with nondrinkers, and that’s after accounting for other factors that could affect brain health such as smoking.
—Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 9 Apr. 2025
The medical breakthrough led to further developments, including Dr. Stahlman’s research on pulmonary function, the physiology of lung cells and a treatment using surfactant, a protein that is deficient in babies with hyaline membrane disease.
—Matt Schudel, Washington Post, 3 July 2024
Cathy Nelson, Health, 7 May 2025
As individuals develop these brain lesions — known as hyaline arteriolosclerosis — their blood vessels narrow, becoming thick and stiff.
—Charlotte Phillipp, People.com, 13 Apr. 2025
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Adjective
The scientists looked for signs of brain injury, including tau tangles (abnormal accumulations of protein linked to Alzheimer’s disease) and hyaline arteriolosclerosis (a condition that causes small blood vessels to narrow and become thick and stiff).
—Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 10 Apr. 2025
Heavy drinkers had a whopping 133% higher likelihood of having hyaline arteriolosclerosis compared with nondrinkers, and that’s after accounting for other factors that could affect brain health such as smoking.
—Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 9 Apr. 2025
The medical breakthrough led to further developments, including Dr. Stahlman’s research on pulmonary function, the physiology of lung cells and a treatment using surfactant, a protein that is deficient in babies with hyaline membrane disease.
—Matt Schudel, Washington Post, 3 July 2024
Noun
In this study, researchers looked for evidence of brain lesions known as hyaline arteriosclerosis.
—Cathy Nelson, Health, 7 May 2025
As individuals develop these brain lesions — known as hyaline arteriolosclerosis — their blood vessels narrow, becoming thick and stiff.
—Charlotte Phillipp, People.com, 13 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hyaline.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hyaline. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
hyaline
2 of 2 noun1
or hyalin
: a nitrogenous substance closely related to chitin that forms the main constituent of the walls of hydatid cysts and yields a sugar on decomposition
2
: any of several translucent substances similar to hyaline that collect around cells, are capable of being stained by eosin, and yield a carbohydrate as a cleavage product
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