spinal column

American  

noun

• spinal columns
  plural

1. the series of vertebrae in a vertebrate animal forming the axis of the skeleton and protecting the spinal cord; spine; backbone.

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spinal column British  

noun

1. Also called: spine, vertebral column, rachis. Nontechnical name: backbone. a series of contiguous or interconnecting bony or cartilaginous segments that surround and protect the spinal cord

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spinal column Scientific  

/ spī′nəl /

1. See vertebral column

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• spinal columns
  plural

Etymology

Origin of spinal column

First recorded in 1830–40

Compare meaning

How does spinal-column compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• spinal cord vs. spinal column

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

spinal column

He severed a nerve between my uterus and spinal column that reduced my pain and dramatically improved my quality of life.

From Slate ● Aug. 7, 2023

The spinal implant amplified weak signals from the brain to the damaged part of the spinal column and was boosted further by pre-programmed signals from a computer.

From BBC ● May 24, 2023

But at 20 weeks, an ultrasound found that the fetus had spina bifida, a condition in which an area of the spinal column doesn’t form properly, and a complex congenital malformation of the brain.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 18, 2022

This roughly 230-million-year-old Mbiresaurus is represented by a nearly complete skeleton, containing parts of the skull and spinal column and elements of both the front and hind legs.

From Scientific American ● Aug. 31, 2022

“The reflex-arc response taking place in the upper ganglia of the spinal column requires several microseconds more in the humanoid robot than in a human nervous system.”

From "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Dick