Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

dura mater

/ˈd(j)ʊɹ.ə ˌmeɪ.tɚ/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 2.62 in modern English

Syllables
du-ra -mater
IPA
/ˈd(j)ʊɹ.ə ˌmeɪ.tɚ/
12
Scrabble Score
9
Letters
3
Syllables
7
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

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

Example Sentences

Etymology

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”).

Word Breakdown

  • Root: dūra māter

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˈd(j)ʊɹ.ə ˌmeɪ.tɚ/
  • British English: /ˌdjʊə.ɹə ˈmeɪ.tə/

Inflected Forms

durae matres (plural) dura maters (plural) dura (abbreviation)

Frequently Paired Words

arachnoid pia mater

Synonyms

dura

Rhymes With

later greater creator narrator traitor translator dictator waiter cater crater curator spectator

Questions

How do you pronounce dura mater?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈd(j)ʊɹ.ə ˌmeɪ.tɚ/.
What does dura mater mean?
The tough and inflexible outermost of the three layers of the meninges, enveloping the brain and spinal cord.
Where does dura mater come from?
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”).

How to pronounce dura mater

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “dura mater”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈd(j)ʊɹ.ə ˌmeɪ.tɚ/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “dura mater”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “dura mater” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.