vertebra

[ vur-tuh-bruh ]
See synonyms for: vertebravertebrae on Thesaurus.com

noun,plural ver·te·brae [vur-tuh-bree, -brey], /ˈvɜr təˌbri, -ˌbreɪ/, ver·te·bras.Anatomy, Zoology.
  1. any of the bones or segments composing the spinal column, consisting typically of a cylindrical body and an arch with various processes, and forming a foramen, or opening, through which the spinal cord passes.

Origin of vertebra

1
1570–80; <Latin: (spinal) joint, equivalent to verte(re) to turn (see verse) + -bra noun suffix

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British Dictionary definitions for vertebra

vertebra

/ (ˈvɜːtɪbrə) /


nounplural -brae (-briː) or -bras
  1. one of the bony segments of the spinal column

Origin of vertebra

1
C17: from Latin: joint of the spine, from vertere to turn

Derived forms of vertebra

  • vertebral, adjective
  • vertebrally, adverb

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 vertebra

vertebra

[ vûrtə-brə ]


Plural vertebrae (vûrtə-brā′, -brē′) vertebras
  1. Any of the bones that make up the vertebral column. Each vertebra contains an arched, hollow section through which the spinal cord passes. In humans, the vertebrae are divided into cervical, thoracic, and lumbar sections, and the sacrum and coccyx are both made up of a series of fused vertebrae. The vertebrae are separated by cartilaginous intervertebral disks. See more at skeleton.

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