spinal nerve

noun

, Anatomy.

1. any of a series of paired nerves that originate in the nerve roots of the spinal cord and emerge from the vertebrae on both sides of the spinal column, each branching out to innervate a specific region of the neck, trunk, or limbs.

spinal nerve

1. Any of the nerves that arise in pairs from the spinal cord and form an important part of the peripheral nervous system. The spinal nerves contain both sensory and motor nerve fibers. There are 31 pairs of spinal nerves in the human body.

Word History and Origins

Origin of spinal nerve¹

First recorded in 1785–95