dura mater

UK/ˌdjʊə.ɹə ˈmeɪ.tə/US/ˈd(j)ʊɹ.ə ˌmeɪ.tɚ/US/ˈd(j)ʊɹ.ə ˌmɑt.ɚ/

noun

The tough and inflexible outermost of the three layers of the meninges, enveloping the brain and spinal cord.

Similar
dura
OriginMedieval Latin dūra māter ← Arabic أُمّ الدِّمَاغ الصَفِيقَة →
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Meanings

noundura mater (plural durae matres or dura maters, abbreviation dura)

plural durae matres · plural dura maters · abbreviation dura

  1. anatomyThe tough and inflexible outermost of the three layers of the meninges, enveloping the brain and spinal cord.

    Hmm, false membranes are adhering to the arachnoidian layer of the dura mater. I’m directing my gaze into a world of constant visibility. Where does it hurt?

    1997, Chris Horrocks, Introducing Foucault, Totem Books; Icon Books, →ISBN, page 53

Synonyms & antonyms

nounthe outermost (and toughest) of the 3 meninges

Similar
dura
Broader
meninxmeninges
Also see
durapachymeninx

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Arabicأُمّ الدِّمَاغ الصَفِيقَة
  2. Medieval Latindūra māter
  3. Englishdura mater

First attested c. 1400, borrowing from Medieval Latin dūra māter (literally “firm, strict mother”), ellipsis of dūra māter cerebrī (literally “hard mother of the brain”), calque of Arabic أُمّ الدِّمَاغ الصَفِيقَة (ʔumm al-ddimāḡ aṣ-ṣafīqa, literally “thick mother of the brain”).

More words from Medieval Latin, Arabic

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic الأم الجافية
  • الأم الجافية (al-umm al-jāfiya)outermost layer of the meninges
Catalan duramàter
  • duramàteroutermost layer of the meninges
Chinese Mandarin 硬腦膜 /硬脑膜, 硬脊膜
  • 硬腦膜 /硬脑膜 (yìngnǎomó)outermost layer of the meninges
  • 硬脊膜 (yìngjǐmó)outermost layer of the meninges
  • 硬膜 (yìngmó)outermost layer of the meninges
Dutch hard hersenvlies, dura mater
  • hard hersenvliesoutermost layer of the meninges
  • dura materoutermost layer of the meninges
Finnish kovakalvo
  • kovakalvooutermost layer of the meninges
French dure-mère
  • dure-mèreoutermost layer of the meninges
German Dura mater
  • Dura materoutermost layer of the meninges
Indonesian dura mater
  • dura materoutermost layer of the meninges
Italian dura madre, duramadre
  • dura madreoutermost layer of the meninges
  • duramadreoutermost layer of the meninges
  • pachimeningeoutermost layer of the meninges
Polish opona twarda
  • opona twardaoutermost layer of the meninges
Portuguese dura-máter
  • dura-máteroutermost layer of the meninges
Romanian dura mater
  • dura materoutermost layer of the meninges
Russian твёрдая мозговая оболочка
  • твёрдая мозговая оболочка (tvjórdaja mozgovaja oboločka)outermost layer of the meninges
Spanish duramadre
  • duramadreoutermost layer of the meninges
Swedish hårda hjärnhinnan
  • hårda hjärnhinnanoutermost layer of the meninges
Vietnamese màng cứng, màng nhện
  • màng cứngoutermost layer of the meninges
  • màng nhệnoutermost layer of the meninges

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with dura mater

latergreatercreatorlocatorvibratortranslatorspectatorterminatorcatercraternarratorslatercuratorgatormateralligatorwaiterdictatorskaterincubatorequatortraitorupdaterrotator
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

dura mater. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dura%20mater

MLA

“dura mater.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dura%20mater. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “dura mater,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dura%20mater.

Source: dura mater on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.