Meanings
nouncell membrane (plural cell membranes)
plural cell membranes
- biologyThe semipermeable membrane that surrounds the cytoplasm of a cell.
Synonyms: plasma membrane, cytoplasmic membrane, cytolemma, plasmalemma
Synonyms & antonyms
nounThe semipermeable membrane that surrounds the cytoplasm of a cell.
More synonyms by meaning
nouna thin membrane (a double layer of lipids) enclosing the cytoplasm of a cell; proteins in the membrane control passage of ions (like sodium or potassium or calcium) in and out of the cell
Similar
Broader
semipermeable membrane
Also see
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Translations
Afrikaans selmembraan
- selmembraansemipermeable membrane surrounding the cytoplasm of a cell
Arabic الغشاء البلازمي
- الغشاء البلازميsemipermeable membrane surrounding the cytoplasm of a cell
Bulgarian кле́тъчна мембра́на
- кле́тъчна мембра́на (klétăčna membrána)semipermeable membrane surrounding the cytoplasm of a cell
Chinese Mandarin 細胞膜 /细胞膜
- 細胞膜 /细胞膜 (xìbāomó)semipermeable membrane surrounding the cytoplasm of a cell
Danish cellemembran
- cellemembransemipermeable membrane surrounding the cytoplasm of a cell
Dutch celmembraan, plasmamembraan
- celmembraansemipermeable membrane surrounding the cytoplasm of a cell
- plasmamembraansemipermeable membrane surrounding the cytoplasm of a cell
Finnish solukalvo
- solukalvosemipermeable membrane surrounding the cytoplasm of a cell
French membrane plasmique
- membrane plasmiquesemipermeable membrane surrounding the cytoplasm of a cell
German Zellmembran
- Zellmembransemipermeable membrane surrounding the cytoplasm of a cell
Hungarian sejtmembrán, sejthártya
- sejtmembránsemipermeable membrane surrounding the cytoplasm of a cell
- sejthártyasemipermeable membrane surrounding the cytoplasm of a cell
Irish cillscannán
- cillscannánsemipermeable membrane surrounding the cytoplasm of a cell
Japanese 細胞膜
- 細胞膜 (saibōmaku)semipermeable membrane surrounding the cytoplasm of a cell
Korean 세포막
- 세포막 (sepomak)semipermeable membrane surrounding the cytoplasm of a cell
Māori kiriuhi pūtau
- kiriuhi pūtausemipermeable membrane surrounding the cytoplasm of a cell
Norwegian Bokmål cellemembran
- cellemembransemipermeable membrane surrounding the cytoplasm of a cell
Polish błona komórkowa
- błona komórkowasemipermeable membrane surrounding the cytoplasm of a cell
Portuguese membrana celular, membrana plasmática
- membrana celularsemipermeable membrane surrounding the cytoplasm of a cell
- membrana plasmáticasemipermeable membrane surrounding the cytoplasm of a cell
- membrana citoplasmáticasemipermeable membrane surrounding the cytoplasm of a cell
Russian кле́точная мембра́на
- кле́точная мембра́на (klétočnaja membrána)semipermeable membrane surrounding the cytoplasm of a cell
Spanish membrana celular
- membrana celularsemipermeable membrane surrounding the cytoplasm of a cell
Swedish cellmembran, plasmamembran
- cellmembransemipermeable membrane surrounding the cytoplasm of a cell
- plasmamembransemipermeable membrane surrounding the cytoplasm of a cell
Tagalog lamad ng sihay, lamad ng kaphay
- lamad ng sihaysemipermeable membrane surrounding the cytoplasm of a cell
- lamad ng kaphaysemipermeable membrane surrounding the cytoplasm of a cell
Thai เยื่อหุ้มเซลล์
- เยื่อหุ้มเซลล์semipermeable membrane surrounding the cytoplasm of a cell
Turkish hücre zarı
- hücre zarısemipermeable membrane surrounding the cytoplasm of a cell
Ukrainian кліти́нна мембра́на
- кліти́нна мембра́на (klitýnna membrána)semipermeable membrane surrounding the cytoplasm of a cell
Vietnamese màng tế bào, màng sinh chất
- màng tế bàosemipermeable membrane surrounding the cytoplasm of a cell
- màng sinh chấtsemipermeable membrane surrounding the cytoplasm of a cell
Welsh cellbilen
- cellbilensemipermeable membrane surrounding the cytoplasm of a cell
Cite this entry
APA
cell membrane. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cell%20membrane
MLA
“cell membrane.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cell%20membrane. Accessed November 4, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “cell membrane,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cell%20membrane.
Source: cell membrane on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.