Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun The mucous membrane that lines the inner surface of the eyelid and the exposed surface of the eyeball.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun In anat, the mucous membrane which lines the inner surface of the eyelids and thence is reflected over the front of the eyeball, thus conjoining the lids and the globe of the eye: a contraction of tunica conjunctiva.
  • noun In entom., the membrane uniting two sclerites, or hard parts of the integument, which move freely on each other.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Anat.) The mucous membrane which covers the external surface of the ball of the eye and the inner surface of the lids; the conjunctival membrane.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun anatomy A clear mucous membrane that lines the inner surface of the eyelid and the exposed surface of the eyeball or sclera.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a transparent lubricating mucous membrane that covers the eyeball and the under surface of the eyelid

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English, from Medieval Latin (membrāna) coniūnctīva, connective (membrane), feminine of Late Latin coniūnctīvus, connective, from Latin coniūnctus, past participle of coniungere, to join together; see conjoin.]

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Examples

  • By soiling the natives 'skin; they are easily inoculated by scratching or by soiling the fingers, which are then brought into contact with the conjunctiva, which is an ideal means of entry for such an active virus.

    Charles Nicolle - Nobel Lecture 1965

  • The inner lining membrane of the eyelids is known as the conjunctiva; it is richly supplied with blood-vessels and nerves.

    A Practical Physiology Albert F. Blaisdell

  • The conjunctiva is the mucous membrane of the eye.

    X. The Organs of the Senses and the Common Integument. 1c. 3. The Accessory Organs of the Eye 1918

  • The conjunctiva is the thin, clear membrane covering the white part of the eye.

    Medindia Health News 2010

  • The conjunctiva is the thin, clear membrane covering the white part of the eye.

    Medindia Health News 2010

  • "It is likely", they write, "that this mode of transmission is underestimated, as a history of ejaculation into the conjunctiva is not normally asked for."

    When sex can be an eye-opener Marc Abrahams 2010

  • The face relaxed, the lids half closed on the eyeballs, leaving only the white of the conjunctiva visible, exactly as in the dying whom we have occasion to see every day in the exercise of our profession, or as in those just dead.

    Boing Boing 2008

  • It's a catch-all description for inflammation of the conjunctiva, the membranes that line the eyelid and the surface of the eye.

    When sex can be an eye-opener Marc Abrahams 2010

  • It refers to the inflammation of the conjunctiva, the thin transparent membrane covering the front of the eye.

    Natural Remedies for Curing Conjunctivitis 2009

  • The moist membrane that lines the under surface of the eyelids and covers the "white" part of the eye (up to the circular margin of the cornea) is called conjunctiva.

    Dealing with Conjunctivitis 2008

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