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 Words From

• verte·bral·ly adverb
• non·verte·bral adjective
• post·verte·bral adjective
• pre·verte·bral adjective
• sub·verte·bral adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of vertebral¹

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

Example Sentences

Two patients died, one from significant blood loss after the operation and the other from a stroke caused by a cut vertebral artery.

From Time

Campana and his colleagues used vertebral growth-band counts to also figure out the ages of 18 additional dead whale sharks.

From Science News For Students

But these young women all suffered a rare kind of stroke caused by a vertebral artery dissection, or VAD.

From The Daily Beast

With one incision Balsamo separated the vertebral column a couple of inches from the brain, and opened a yawning gash.

From Project Gutenberg

The vertebral bones serve as mortars in which fish, which have been previously dried in the sun, are pounded.

From Project Gutenberg

I may conclude this chapter by a brief view of the Fauna of the higher vertebral animals.

From Project Gutenberg

The vertebral column itself is limp and soft, the vertebræ only imperfectly formed and made of soft cartilage.

From Project Gutenberg

A single one of these fist-blows, planted in the back, would suffice to break the vertebral column.

From Project Gutenberg