membrana

membrāna, ae, f. [membrum], 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.