spinal

[spahyn-l]

adjective

1. of, relating to, or belonging to a spine or thornlike structure, especially to the backbone.

noun

1. Medicine/Medical.,  a spinal anesthetic.

spinal

/ ˈspaɪnəl /

adjective

1. of or relating to the spine or the spinal cord

2. denoting a laboratory animal in which the spinal cord has been severed

   a spinal rat

noun

1. short for spinal anaesthesia

Other Word Forms

• spinally adverb
• interspinal adjective
• nonspinal adjective
• prespinal adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of spinal¹

1570–80; < Late Latin spīnālis, equivalent to Latin spīn ( a ) spina + -ālis -al ¹

Example Sentences

The animals are resistant to cancer, deterioration of the brain and spinal cord, and arthritis, so many scientists want to understand more about how their bodies work.

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The next day, as the government prepared to shut down, my family packed our bags to leave town for my daughter Naomi’s spinal surgery.

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After physiotherapy failed to improve the problem, a series of scans showed nerves in his brain and spinal cord had been damaged by MND.

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Meningitis is the swelling of the meninges – the tissues surrounding the brain and spinal cord – and it is usually caused by a bacterial infection.

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It causes inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord, so if you recognise these symptoms, call 999 or go to A&E straight away.

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