nic·ti·tat·ing membrane

(nĭk′tĭ-tā′tĭng)

A transparent inner eyelid in many vertebrates that closes to protect and moisten the eye. Also called third eyelid.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

nictitating membrane

(ˈnɪktɪˌteɪtɪŋ)

(Zoology) (in reptiles, birds, and some mammals) a thin fold of skin beneath the eyelid that can be drawn across the eye. Also called: third eyelid or haw

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

nic′titating mem′brane

a thin membrane, present in many animals, that can be drawn across the eyeball for protection.

[1705–15]

nic·ti·tat·ing membrane

(nĭk′tĭ-tā′tĭng)

A transparent inner eyelid in birds, reptiles, amphibians, and some mammals that protects and moistens the eye without blocking vision.

The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun

nictitating membrane - a protective fold of skin in the eyes of reptiles and birds and some mammals

third eyelid

eye, oculus, optic - the organ of sight

protective fold - a flap of tissue that protects what it covers

haw - the nictitating membrane of a horse

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

Reid considers it to be the effect of inflammation in the nictitating membrane. When the animal was alive I placed my finger within half an inch of its head, and not the slightest notice was taken: it made its way, however, about the room nearly as well as the others.

View in context

In South America, a burrowing rodent, the tuco-tuco, or Ctenomys, is even more subterranean in its habits than the mole; and I was assured by a Spaniard, who had often caught them, that they were frequently blind; one which I kept alive was certainly in this condition, the cause, as appeared on dissection, having been inflammation of the nictitating membrane. As frequent inflammation of the eyes must be injurious to any animal, and as eyes are certainly not indispensable to animals with subterranean habits, a reduction in their size with the adhesion of the eyelids and growth of fur over them, might in such case be an advantage; and if so, natural selection would constantly aid the effects of disuse.

View in context

Corneoscleral junctions are affected most frequently but involvement of eyelids, conjunctiva and nictitating membrane is also reported in some cases (Perino et al., 1993).

Short Communication - Bovine's Ocular Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Clinico-pathological Report of Twenty Five Cases

They all have a nictitating membrane -- that creepy third eyelid.

Of marcescence and Socratic debate

Beavers also have a third, transparent eyelid (called a nictitating membrane) that protects their eyes as they swim underwater.

I'll be dammed, time to bring back beavers! THE MAMMALS WERE PREVIOUSLY WIPED OUT BY MAN IN UK

When the retractor bulbi muscle contracts, the nictitating membrane (third eyelid) is closed as a protective mechanism (Fig.

Sectioned Images of a Cat Head to Contribute to Learning of its Sectional Anatomy/ Imagenes Seccionadas de una Cabeza de Gato para Contribuir al Conocimiento de su Anatomia Seccional

To prevent this, a nictitating membrane, sometimes referred to as a bird's "third eyelid," closes an instant before impact, keeping the eyes securely in their sockets and preventing any wood chips from damaging the eyes.

WONDERFUL WOODPECKERS: Of the 22 species found in North America, we have 9 woodpecker species that inhabit the forests of New York

Caution was taken to avoid overapplication or contact with the eyelids or nictitating membrane. Recovery and postoperative care was similar to previous procedures, with the addition of butorphanol tartrate (1 mg/kg IM q12h, for 1 day) to the analgesic protocol.

Management of a nonhealing, superficial corneal ulcer in a hyacinth macaw (anodorhynchus hyacinthinus)

The nictitating membrane is found on which part of animal's body?

14 quick questions..

I've never been happier to see a working nictitating membrane.

The twitch that could turn me into a twitcher

Gharagozlou (2007) studied the natural occurrence of ocular neoplasms in dairy cattle and reported that mostly the lesion were located in the nictitating membrane and palpebral conjunctiva and the tumors were squamous cell carcinoma, lymphosarcoma and malignant heman-gioendothelioma.

Surgical Management of Benign Conjunctival Tumor in a Cow

The third eyelid is also known as the "nictitating membrane." The purpose of the third eyelid is to further protect and lubricate the eye.

Common eye problems in goats