Lamina (anatomy) Lamina is a general anatomical term meaning "plate" or "layer". [1] It is used in both gross anatomy and microscopic anatomy to describe structures. Some examples include: The laminae of the thyroid cartilage: two leaf-like plates of cartilage that make up the walls of the structure. [2] In short, the blade of the leaf or the leaf blade is called the lamina of a leaf. It is the main part of the leaf, as all the chloroplasts, which are the reaction centres of the photosynthetic process carried out by the leaves for making their own nutrition, are present in the leaf lamina. " Lamina " is a versatile term that applies to many fields of study, from natural sciences to engineering. Its defining characteristic is the idea of a "thin layer" or "plate," which is crucial for understanding various biological structures, materials, and even geological formations. Lamina is a noun that means a layer or thin sheet of tissue, or one of two curved parts at the back of a vertebra. Learn how to use it in biology, medicine and anatomy, and see examples and translations in different languages.