membrāna, ae, f. membrum, the skin or membrane that covers parts of the body (class.). 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.

— Esp., the skin or slough of snakes, Ov. M. 7, 272; Luc. 6, 679.

— Transf. 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.

— 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.

— 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.