spine

[ spahyn ]

/ spaɪn /

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noun

the spinal or vertebral column; backbone.

any backbonelike part.

a stiff, pointed process or appendage on an animal, as a quill of a porcupine, or a sharp, bony ray in the fin of a fish.

something, as a quality or trait, that constitutes a principal strength; resolution; stamina; backbone: a situation that would test a person's spine.

a ridge, as of ground or rock.

a sharp-pointed, hard or woody outgrowth on a plant; thorn.

Bookbinding. the back of a book cover or binding, usually indicating the title and author.

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of spine

1400–50; late Middle English <Latin spīna thorn, backbone

OTHER WORDS FROM spine

spined, adjectivespinelike, adjective

Words nearby spine

spindly, spin doctor, spindrift, spin-dry, spin-dryer, spine, spinebash, spine-bashing, spine-chiller, spine-chilling, spinel

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use spine in a sentence

Only 11 Republicans were able to find the spine to vote with Democrats to strip her of those assignments.
Republicans can run from accountability, but they can’t hide|Jennifer Rubin|February 5, 2021|Washington Post
A jolt of pain and energy spiked through my back, traveling up my spine.
After the Crash, They Said I Was Fine. I Wasn't.|Erin Tierney|February 4, 2021|Outside Online
Besides revisiting the time when, as an adolescent, he had a major operation to remove a tumor on his spine, Williamson reckoned with a funeral for a sister who died almost half a century ago.
Sleaford Mods gets introspective, but don’t think they’ve gone soft|Zachary Lipez|January 21, 2021|Washington Post
Let your thumbs rest on either side of your spine, right where your trapezius ends.
A step-by-step guide to giving yourself a massage|Sandra Gutierrez G.|January 14, 2021|Popular-Science

Engage your abs—again, imagine pulling your belly button toward your spine—to eliminate any gap between your lower back and the floor.
This 10-Move Core Workout Will Kick Your Ass|Hayden Carpenter|December 21, 2020|Outside Online
Morris struggled to straighten his back, which involved stiffening a spine rarely used.
Powerful Congressman Writes About ‘Fleshy Breasts’|Asawin Suebsaeng|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The results were awful: marked osteoporosis in the spine, hip, and femur.
You’re Never ‘Cured’ of an Eating Disorder|Carrie Arnold|December 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He survived, Risner says, but was left permanently injured by a bullet to his spine.
Drug Smuggler Sues U.S. Over Dog Bite|Caitlin Dickson|December 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It is a joy to watch Shafer seamlessly work incisive commentary on contemporary life into a fast-paced spine-chiller.
The Best Fiction of 2014: Ford, Ferrante, Klay, and More|William O’Connor|December 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Its spine, too, “‘hubbed’ as the most prized European classics are,” is decorated with delicate gold squiggles and a star.
Rand Paul’s Many Leather-Bound Books|Olivia Nuzzi|November 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Another crash, which nearly shut up his spine like a telescope, told him that there were no wings.
The Giant of the North|R.M. Ballantyne
A cold, numbing sensation stole down my spine and made my legs grow suddenly weak.
Uncanny Tales|Various
A shudder ran down his spine; there was a sensation of inner cold against his heart; he trembled, but he could not look away.
The Wave|Algernon Blackwood
He was flung down heavily, and pinned prone in a corner by one of those bullies who knelt on his spine.
St. Martin's Summer|Rafael Sabatini
He felt as if his spine had suddenly become hollow and someone had filled it with particles of ice.
The Empty House And Other Ghost Stories|Algernon Blackwood

British Dictionary definitions for spine

spine

/ (spaɪn) /

noun

the spinal column

the sharply pointed tip or outgrowth of a leaf, stem, etc

zoology a hard pointed process or structure, such as the ray of a fin, the quill of a porcupine, or the ridge on a bone

the back of a book, record sleeve, etc

a ridge, esp of a hill

strength of endurance, will, etc

anything resembling the spinal column in function or importance; main support or feature

Derived forms of spine

spined, adjective

Word Origin for spine

C14: from Old French espine spine, from Latin spīna thorn, backbone

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for spine

spine

[ spīn ]

See vertebral column.

Any of various pointed projections, processes, or appendages of animals.

A sharp-pointed projection on a plant, especially a hard, narrow modified leaf, as on a cactus, that is adapted to reduce water loss. Compare thorn. See more at leaf.

Other words from spine

spinal adjective

spine

Origin of spine

OTHER WORDS FROM spine

Words nearby spine

Words related to spine

How to use spine in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for spine

Derived forms of spine

Word Origin for spine

Scientific definitions for spine

Other words from spine