pleura

P3L1E1U1R1A1
UK/ˈplʊə.ɹə/US/ˈplʊɹ.ə/

noun

Each of a pair of smooth serous membranes which line the thorax and envelop the lungs in humans and other mammals.

OriginMedieval Latin pleura →
UncommonScrabble 8
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Meanings

pleura1

nounpleura (plural pleuras or pleurae)

plural pleuras · plural pleurae

  1. anatomyEach of a pair of smooth serous membranes which line the thorax and envelop the lungs in humans and other mammals.

    The lungs […] may be said to be inclosed in separate bags, or to have distinct pleuras.

    1856, William Youatt, William Charles Linnaeus Martin, A. Stevens, The Hog (page 120)
  2. biologyA lateral part in an animal body or structure.

pleura2

noun
  1. pluralplural of pleuron

Origin

pleura · noun

  1. Medieval Latinpleura
  2. Englishpleura

From Middle English, borrowed from Medieval Latin pleura.

More words from Medieval Latin

Full word history & related roots →

pleura · noun

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian плевра
  • плевра (plevra)serous membrane that covers the lungs and thorax
Catalan pleura
  • pleuraserous membrane that covers the lungs and thorax
Chinese Mandarin 胸膜
  • 胸膜 (xiōngmó)serous membrane that covers the lungs and thorax
Czech pohrudnice
  • pohrudniceserous membrane that covers the lungs and thorax
Dutch pleura
  • pleuraserous membrane that covers the lungs and thorax
Esperanto pleŭro
  • pleŭroserous membrane that covers the lungs and thorax
Finnish keuhkopussi
  • keuhkopussiserous membrane that covers the lungs and thorax
French plèvre
  • plèvreserous membrane that covers the lungs and thorax
Greek υπεζωκώς
  • υπεζωκώς (ypezokós)serous membrane that covers the lungs and thorax
Italian pleura
  • pleuraserous membrane that covers the lungs and thorax
Japanese 胸膜
  • 胸膜 (kyōmaku)serous membrane that covers the lungs and thorax
Māori kiriuhi pūkahu
  • kiriuhi pūkahuserous membrane that covers the lungs and thorax
Polish opłucna
  • opłucnaserous membrane that covers the lungs and thorax
Portuguese pleura
  • pleuraserous membrane that covers the lungs and thorax
Russian пле́вра
  • пле́вра (plévra)serous membrane that covers the lungs and thorax
Spanish pleura
  • pleuraserous membrane that covers the lungs and thorax
Tagalog bambambaga
  • bambambagaserous membrane that covers the lungs and thorax
Vietnamese màng phổi
  • màng phổiserous membrane that covers the lungs and thorax

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with pleura

bureauduraJurasurahsuramuradaturatempurabravurakatsuraangosturacoloraturatessituracaesuraacciaccaturaappoggiaturadurrafiorituraguipurepanduratamburatanpurawitzchoura
All rhymes →

Anagrams

Lauperperulaepural
Cite this entry
APA

pleura. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pleura

MLA

“pleura.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pleura. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “pleura,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pleura.

Source: pleura on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.