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vertebra Definition

ver·te·bra (vʉr′tə brə)

noun pl. -·brae′-brē′, -brā′ or -·bras

any of the single bones or segments of the spinal column, articulating in the higher vertebrates with those adjacent to it by means of elastic fibrous disks

Etymology: L, a joint, vertebra < vertere, to turn: see verse

vertebra Usage Examples

Preposition: of

  • spine: The vertebrae of the spine also show only a few signs of deterioration due to excessive work loads.
  • neck: However, because the muscles and vertebrae of the neck are tough, decapitation may require more than one blow.

Converse of object

  • fuse: In 1966 she had three vertebrae fused in her back.
  • break: It is also possible to break the vertebrae in the neck without causing any injury to the spinal cord.
  • move: The device performs a gentle and repeated circular motion, which moves the vertebrae of the lower back and the pelvic area.
  • call: There are seven bones called vertebrae in your neck which balance the heavy weight of your head.
  • have: In 1966 she had three vertebrae fused in her back.
  • fracture: Karl Muggeridge, who fell this morning, has fractured the 12th vertebra and the second lumbar.

Noun used with modifier

  • neck: The head is removed from the carcass by cutting through the last of the neck vertebrae.
  • lumber: The cervical, dorsal and lumber vertebrae are normal and extremely straight, which is unusual.
  • atlas: The atlas vertebra meets with the occipital condyles which flank the foramen magnum in the basilar part of the occipital bone of the skull.

Adjective modifier

  • thoracic: A thoracic fracture is a break in the thoracic vertebrae.
  • lumbar: A lumbar fracture is a break in the lumbar vertebrae.
  • cervical: The Chi Machine can adjust the whole spine all the way up to the cervical vertebra.
  • sacral: Sacral vertebrae are the bones of the spine in this region, which are fused together to form a bone called the sacrum.
  • caudal: Also in 1996, another caudal vertebra was found.
  • fractured: However, the range of variability in fractured vertebrae would pose a problem for a global model.

Preposition: in

  • spine: It is the only vertebra in the spine which has no vertebral body.
  • neck: C followed by a number from 1 to 7 will refer to the vertebrae in the neck.
  • column: The number of vertebrae in the human spinal column.