Meninx
/ˈmɛnɪŋks/noun
A membrane, especially one of the three membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord.
Did you know?The familiar medical word meninges is simply the plural form inherited from Greek and Latin, while meninx is the rare singular form.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
μήνιγξ (mēninx)
“Membrane, especially a membrane surrounding the brain”
Hellenistic period
Greek
μήνιγγες (mēninges)
“Membranes; the plural used in anatomical writing”
Late Antiquity
Latin
meninx / meninges
“Membrane or membranes surrounding the brain”
17th Century
English
meninx
“An anatomical membrane, particularly one covering the brain”
Modern English
English
meninx
“The singular of meninges; one membrane surrounding the brain or spinal cord”
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