vertebral

[vur-tuh-bruhl]

adjective

1. of or relating to a vertebra or the vertebrae; spinal.

2. resembling a vertebra.

3. composed of or having vertebrae.

Other Word Forms

• vertebrally adverb
• nonvertebral adjective
• postvertebral adjective
• prevertebral adjective
• subvertebral adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of vertebral¹

First recorded in 1675–85; vertebr(a) + -al ¹

Example Sentences

Among the various types of fractures caused by osteoporosis, compression fractures of the spine, known as osteoporotic vertebral fractures, are the most common.

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The team found part of the dinosaur's skull, a complete vertebral column extending to the tail, and nearly intact forelimbs and hindlimbs, said CONICET.

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Also taken to hospital was UAE Team Emirates rider Jay Vine, whose medical director later confirmed had sustained cervical and two thoracic spine vertebral body fractures.

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Type 2 diabetes alters the behavior of discs in the vertebral column, making them stiffer, and also causes the discs to change shape earlier than normal.

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“We measured the whole vertebral skeleton of a living great white shark with a CT scanner and compared that to the previous reconstruction of the Megalodon vertebral column,” Sternes said.

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