spinal
Americanadjective
noun
adjective
-
of or relating to the spine or the spinal cord
-
denoting a laboratory animal in which the spinal cord has been severed
a spinal rat
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of spinal
1570–80; < Late Latin spīnālis, equivalent to Latin spīn ( a ) spina + -ālis -al 1
Explanation
Spinal describes the area of the backbone. Your spinal cord, which is protected by the vertebrae of the backbone, connects the brain and the body. A spinal injury is serious because it affects the body’s ability to move and function. The adjective spinal comes up often in medicine. Spinal fluid acts as a cushion for your brain and spine; a spinal tap is a special kind of test for evaluating this fluid. Doctors and nurses often refer to anesthesia that's injected into the spine simply as a spinal. The adjective has been around since the 16th century, from the Late Latin spinalis. "pertaining to a thorn or the spine."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Jane Campbell, a peer in the House of Lords upper chamber, struggles to speak naturally due to spinal muscular atrophy, a condition that worsens over time.
From Barron's ● Oct. 13, 2026
Losing weight, whether through diet and exercise or taking a GLP-1 medication, reduces the pressure on spinal discs and vertebrae and the hinge of the knee.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 8, 2026
Kitchen was later moved to the front of the plane to be given CPR, but Linda, who sustained spinal fractures, said nobody told her he had died until two days later.
From BBC ● Sep. 23, 2026
Then in August, the shares plunged after the agency placed the therapy on clinical hold when spinal scans turned up abnormalities in some trial participants.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 16, 2026
But a spinal tap was required before a specific diagnosis could be made, he told me.
From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French
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