Meningeal
/məˈnɪn.dʒi.əl/noun
Relating to the meninges, the protective membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord.
Did you know?The singular Greek word meninx meant “membrane,” while the familiar English form meninges preserves a Greek plural ending for the brain’s protective coverings.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
μῆνιγξ (mêninx)
“Membrane; a thin covering or sheath”
Hellenistic Greek
Greek
μήνιγγες (mḗninges)
“Membranes, especially the membranes surrounding the brain”
Late Antiquity
Latin
meninx
“A membrane or membrane surrounding the brain”
17th Century
New Latin
meningeus
“Relating to a meninx or the cerebral membranes”
19th Century
English
meningeal
“Relating to the meninges”
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