spinal

IPA/ˈspaɪnl/
KK[spˈaɪnəl]IPA/ˈspaɪnl/

spinal — adjective

  • spinalpositive
  • more spinalcomparative
  • most spinalsuperlative

1. relating to the long column of bones in the centre of the back that holds the bo

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

relating to the long column of bones in the centre of the back that holds the body upright and protects the nerves running from the brain down to the lower body

Example

Hiro injured his spinal cord in a cycling accident last summer.

collocation: spinal cord

The surgeon examined the spinal X-rays before recommending surgery.

Common collocations
  • spinal cord
  • spinal column
  • spinal injury
  • spinal surgery
  • spinal nerve
  • spinal fluid
  • spinal tap
  • spinal specialist
Synonyms
  • vertebral

    more technical and limited to anatomy contexts; 'vertebral column' is the scientific name for the spine

  • back

    broader and less formal; 'back pain' is everyday language, while 'spinal injury' is clinical

Grammar Patterns

spinal + noun (spinal cord, spinal injury)

Usage Note

Always used before a noun. To refer to the body part itself, use the noun 'spine' (e.g., 'He broke his spine', not 'He broke his spinal').

Common Mistakes

He broke his spinal in the fall.
He broke his spine in the fall.
'spinal' is an adjective; the noun for the bone structure is 'spine'.
The pain is spinal.
The pain is in my spine.
'spinal' is rarely used after a linking verb; use the noun form instead.

spinal — noun

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

'Spinal', 'vertebral', and 'back' all relate to the spine but differ in formality and scope. 'Spinal' is the standard clinical adjective used in medicine and everyday health contexts — it is the safest choice for most situations (spinal cord, spinal injury, spinal surgery). 'Vertebral' is a more technical term used mainly in anatomy; you will see it in textbooks and medical diagrams (vertebral column, vertebral artery) but rarely in a general news article or a doctor's office conversation. 'Back' as an adjective is the broadest and most informal term (back pain, back muscles, back problems), but it lacks precision — a 'back injury' could involve muscles, ligaments, or skin, while a 'spinal injury' specifically involves the bones or nerves of the spine. Use 'spinal' when precision matters medically; use 'back' in everyday informal talk.

spinal ↗vertebral ↗back ↗

Etymology

LatinEnglish

The word 'spinal' comes from Latin 'spina', which originally meant 'thorn' or 'prickle'. Because the backbone's row of bony bumps resembles a thorny plant stem, Latin speakers began using 'spina' to mean 'backbone'. English adopted the word and added the suffix '-al' (meaning 'relating to') to form the adjective 'spinal' in the early 1600s.