LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · femininefirst declension

membrāna

membrāna f (genitive membrānae)
Classical[mɛmˈbraː.na]Ecclesiastical[memˈbraː.na]

Meaning

  1. the skin or membrane that covers parts of the body; (especially) the skin or slough of snakes
  2. the thin skin of plants and other things
  3. a skin prepared for writing, etc.; parchment
  4. poeticthe surface, outside of a thing

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativemembrānamembrānae
genitivemembrānaemembrānārum
dativemembrānaemembrānīs
accusativemembrānammembrānās
ablativemembrānāmembrānīs
vocativemembrānamembrānae

membrāna, ae, f. membrum,
I. the skin or membrane that covers parts of the body (class.).
I. Lit.: natura oculos membranis tenuissimis vestivit, Cic. N. D. 2, 57, 142: cerebri, the membrane of the brain, meninges, Cels. 8, 4: membranis cicadae volant, Plin. 11, 28, 33, § 96: membranis volant fragilibus insecta, id. 11, 39, 94, § 228.—
B. Esp., the skin or slough of snakes, Ov. M. 7, 272; Luc. 6, 679.—
II. Transf.
A. The thin skin of plants and other things, Plin. 15, 22, 24, § 88: corio et membrana Punica (teguntur), id. 15, 28, 34, § 112: tenuissimis membranis velatur allium, id. 19, 6, 34, § 111: putaminis ovi, id. 29, 3, 11, § 46.—
B. A skin prepared for writing, etc., parchment, Quint. 10, 3, 31: Homeri carmen in Membrana scriptum, Plin. 7, 21, 21, § 85: sic raro scribis, ut toto non quater anno Membranam poscas, Hor. S. 2, 3, 2: Parrhasiae, for drawing, Plin. 35, 10, 36, § 68: croceae membrana tabellae, Juv. 7, 23: quod in chartulis sive membranis meis aliquis scripserit, meum est, Gai. Inst. 2, 77.—
C. The surface, outside of a thing (poet.): coloris, Lucr. 4, 95.—Trop.: scies, sub ista tenui membrana dignitatis quantum mali jaceat, Sen. Ep. 115, 9.

Origins

From membrum (“a limb or member of the body”).

Descendants
  • Catalanmembrana
  • Englishmembrana
  • Englishmembrane
  • Frenchmembrane
  • Italianmembrana
  • Occitanmembrana
  • Portuguesemembrana
  • Romanianmembrană
  • Spanishmembrana
  • Gothic𐌼𐌰𐌹𐌼𐌱𐍂𐌰𐌽𐌰from Ancient Greek μεμβρᾰ́νᾱ

In English words that came into English from membrāna

  • membranemembrāna
  • membranaceousmembrānāceus
  • membranamembrāna
  • granulosamembrāna
  • membranulemembrānula
  • submembranaceoussubmembrānāceus

Quick answers

What does membrāna mean in Latin?
membrāna, a noun, means “the skin or membrane that covers parts of the body; (especially) the skin or slough of snakes; the thin skin of plants and other things”.
What is the genitive of membrāna?
The genitive singular is membrānae. membrāna is feminine, first declension.
How do you pronounce membrāna?
In classical Latin, [mɛmˈbraː.na]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [memˈbraː.na].
Which English words come from membrāna?
English words that go back to Latin membrāna include membrane, membrana, granulosa, membranaceous, membranule and submembranaceous.