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# membrane

noun (a membrane, membranes)

«membrane» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. (science) A very thin layer, like a skin, that covers or lines a part of a living thing or a cell. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/membrane/#m1)
2. A thin sheet of material, natural or man-made, that lets some things pass through and stops others. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/membrane/#m2)
3. The cell membrane: the thin outer layer around every living cell that controls what goes in and out. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/membrane/#m3)

### In the lessons

In science, the cell membrane is part of every cell (plant and animal); it lets water, food and oxygen in and waste out. The eardrum is a membrane that vibrates with sound. Inside an eggshell there is a thin membrane. Builders use waterproof membranes under floors and roofs. Phrases: «cell membrane», «thin membrane», «waterproof membrane», «mucous membrane».

### Examples

- The cell membrane controls what goes in and out of the cell. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/membrane/#x1)
- Peel the egg carefully and you will see a thin membrane under the shell. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/membrane/#x2)
- The eardrum is a membrane that shakes when sound hits it. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/membrane/#x3)
- A frog has a membrane that covers its eyes underwater. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/membrane/#x4)
- Bats' wings are made of a stretchy membrane of skin. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/membrane/#x5)
- The builder put a plastic membrane under the concrete to keep out damp. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/membrane/#x6)
- Your nose is lined with a wet membrane that traps dust. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/membrane/#x7)

### Note

Countable noun: a membrane, membranes. Mostly a science word. Do not confuse «cell membrane» with «cell wall»: plant cells have both, animal cells have only a membrane. Spelling: mem-brane (not «membraine»).

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «membrane» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/membrane/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«membrane» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/membrane.html) on Mova free.