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.
Together, the sleep recordings, brain scans, spinal fluid analyses, and memory assessments suggest that tau accumulation is associated with a particular disruption of brain activity during deep sleep.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 5, 2026
People whose sleeping brains produced more isolated slow waves had higher ratios of tau to amyloid, another protein closely associated with Alzheimer's disease, in their spinal fluid.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 5, 2026
It begins in a midbrain structure called the red nucleus and extends to the opposite side of the spinal cord.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 4, 2026
The corticospinal pathway extends from the cerebral cortex toward the spinal cord, but its function varies among animals.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 4, 2026
The medical team’s main concerns — damage to my spinal cord, airway, veins, and arteries — have been allayed.
From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins
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