The tough, fibrous outermost membrane of the three meninges that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord. It forms a protective barrier and contains venous sinuses that drain blood from the brain.
From Latin 'dura' meaning 'hard' and 'mater' meaning 'mother.' Medieval anatomists called the meninges 'mothers' because they nurture and protect the brain like a mother protects her child.
The dura mater is so tough that neurosurgeons sometimes use it as a natural patch to repair other parts of the body! When it tears during spinal procedures, it can cause debilitating spinal headaches because cerebrospinal fluid leaks out, requiring a 'blood patch' to seal the hole.
Latin 'mater' (mother) applied to tough outermost meningeal membrane; reflects archaic medical metaphor gendering anatomical structures as maternal/protective. Named by male anatomists in male-dominated medical tradition.
Use standard term; recognize gendered metaphor as historical artifact. Modern anatomy treats structures by function and composition, not maternal metaphors.
Women neuroscientists like Rita Levi-Montalcini and Donna Strickland advanced brain science; dura mater nomenclature predates their visibility in neurology canon.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.