# What is the dura mater?

The dura mater is called the dura mater. Gray's Anatomy (1918) describes it as the tough, fibrous outermost of the three meninges.

## What it means

- The tough, fibrous outermost of the three meninges.
- Its name is Latin for 'tough mother'.
- Encloses the venous sinuses of the brain.

## Action steps

1. Lines the inside of the skull.
2. Continues down the vertebral canal around the spinal cord.
3. Sends folds inward that partition the cranial cavity (falx cerebri, tentorium cerebelli).

## Sources

- [Gray's Anatomy of the Human Body (1918)](https://www.bartleby.com/107/)

---
Canonical: https://bestanatomyanswers.com/answers/what-is-the-dura-mater
Author: Best Anatomy Answers — https://bestanatomyanswers.com
Publisher: Best Anatomy Answers
Published: 2026-07-18T00:00:00+00:00
Modified: 2026-07-18T00:00:00+00:00
Last verified: 2026-07-18
License: Citation License 1.0 — https://bestexpertanswers.com/license
© Adolicious LLC