Word
membranes
Phoneticsmem·branes
US/ˈmɛmˌbɹeɪnz/
UK/mˈɛmbɹeɪnz/
Definition
n. thin layers of material that act like a skin, covering parts of a body or a cell. They let some things pass through while keeping others out.
n. thin, pliable layers of tissue that line organs or connect structures within an organism; in biology, the semi-permeable lipid bilayer surrounding a cell.
Examples
“The cell membrane protects the internal parts of the cell.”
“Doctors found that the protective membranes around the patient's lungs were slightly inflamed, causing pain during deep breaths.”
“Advanced filtration systems utilize synthetic membranes to desalinate seawater, mimicking the selective permeability found in biological systems to separate salt ions from water molecules.”
Examples
simple
“The cell membrane protects the internal parts of the cell.”
contextual
“Doctors found that the protective membranes around the patient's lungs were slightly inflamed, causing pain during deep breaths.”
complex
“Advanced filtration systems utilize synthetic membranes to desalinate seawater, mimicking the selective permeability found in biological systems to separate salt ions from water molecules.”
Usage
Often appears in the plural when referring to biological structures or layers.
Real-World Examples
Common in science writing
“Some have proposed that LUCA was a more complex cell with simple membranes that were perhaps made of a mix of archaeal and bacterial fats, or lipids.” “This boosts reactions that produce toxic, unstable molecules called reactive oxygen species that react with structures on bacterial membranes and destroy them.”