cornea

noun

cor·nea ˈkȯr-nē-ə

: the transparent part of the coat of the eyeball that covers the iris and pupil and admits light to the interior see eye illustration

corneal

ˈkȯr-nē-əl

adjective

Examples of cornea in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Additionally, sleeping in contacts can lead to irritation of the cornea and/or eye infections. — Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2026 Elena became blind in a car accident that caused irreversible damage to the optic nerve in her left eye, as well as damage to the retina and cornea transparency in her right eye, according to the outlets. — Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026 Yellowish deposits on or around the eyelids, grayish-white rings around the cornea and yellowish bumps or nodules on the tendons, including the Achilles tendon or the tendons on the back of the hand, can all be a cause for concern. — Gavin Escott, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2026 How To Apply Waterline Eyeliner For Ultra-Definition Applying eyeliner on the waterline means the area between your lash line and cornea, and it can be done on either top or bottom. — Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 13 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cornea

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, borrowed from Medieval Latin (short for cornea tēla "horny web," cornea tunica "horny covering," translating Greek kerātoeidḕs chitṓn), from feminine of Latin corneus "horny" — more at corneous

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of cornea was in the 14th century

See more words from the same century

Browse Nearby Words

corne-

cornea

corneagen

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Cornea.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cornea. Accessed 3 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

cornea

noun

cor·nea ˈkȯr-nē-ə

: the transparent part of the coat of the eyeball that covers the iris and pupil and lets light through to the interior

corneal

-nē-əl

adjective

Medical Definition

cornea

noun

cor·nea ˈkȯr-nē-ə

: the transparent part of the coat of the eyeball that covers the iris and pupil and admits light to the interior

corneal

-əl

adjective

cornea

noun

Examples of cornea in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

Medical Definition

More from Merriam-Webster on cornea

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

recalcitrant

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Games & Quizzes