Biomembrane

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A cellular barrier formed of lipid layers that regulates entry and exit while aiding in the separation of a cell from its surroundings
2. A protective and functional membrane made up of lipids that controls various cellular processes by maintaining compartmentalization
3. A structure composed of lipids forming a barrier that controls the movement of substances into and out of cells or organelles

Etymology: "Biomembrane" is a plain technical compound, assembled from two parts that both come from Latin and Greek. Its first element, "bio-", comes from the Greek "bios", meaning "life", which entered English-language science as a combining form used to build terms about living things. The second element, "membrane", comes from Latin "membrana", a thin skin or covering, from "membrum", a limb or part of the body. Put together, the word describes a thin covering belonging to living matter. In biology, the term is applied to the lipid-based layers that enclose cells and the internal compartments within them, which is why the sense of "a covering" has carried over so directly from the Latin root.

Synonyms: cell membrane, plasma membrane, biological membrane, lipid bilayer, membrane