Meninges are a protective rubbery sheath that engulfs the entire central nervous system which includes brain and spinal cord. This covering has three separate layers from the outside-in – dura mater, arachnoid mater, and pia mater.

Meninges have been likened to the three layers of orange with Dura Mater, literally meaning strong mother in Latin, similar to the orange peel. The white pith, spongy white tissue lining the rind of an orange is akin to the Arachnoid Mater, which is Latin for spider mother, because of its webbed appearance. Pia Mater, which means soft mother, is like the clear skin that covers the orange pulp.

This below video shows a dissected brain describing the meninges around the brain.