spinal cord

noun

: the cord of nervous tissue that extends from the brain lengthwise along the back in the spinal canal, gives off the pairs of spinal nerves, carries impulses to and from the brain, and serves as a center for initiating and coordinating many reflex acts see brain illustration

Examples of spinal cord in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Taking over roughly half of the mouse’s total brain space, the human cells successfully hooked into the host’s blood supply, local neurons, and spinal cord. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 17 Sep. 2026

Lasko suffered the spinal cord injury in a collision with a teammate June 30 that left him paralyzed from the chest down, with both arms affected, too. — ABC News, 16 Sep. 2026

Awartani was shot in the chest and the bullet ricocheted off his scapula, causing paraplegia in his spinal cord. — Michael R. Sisak, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026

The story of Canadian athlete turned disability activist Rick Hansen propelling his wheelchair 40,075 kilometers around the world in his 1984 Man in Motion tour to raise money and awareness for spinal cord injuries is already legend. — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 11 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1834, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for spinal cord

• checkerboard
• clavichord
• fiberboard
• fibreboard
• fingerboard
• harpsichord
• motherboard
• notochord
• overboard
• overlord
• paperboard
• plasterboard

Kids Definition

spinal cord

noun

: the cord of nervous tissue that extends from the brain along the back in the cavity of the backbone, branches to form the spinal nerves, carries nerve impulses to and from the brain, and helps to control reflex actions

Medical Definition

spinal cord

noun

: the thick longitudinal cord of nervous tissue that in vertebrates extends along the back dorsal to the bodies of the vertebrae and is enclosed in the spinal canal formed by their neural arches, is continuous anteriorly with the medulla oblongata, gives off at intervals pairs of spinal nerves to the various parts of the trunk and limbs, serves not only as a pathway for nerve impulses to and from the brain but as a center for carrying out and coordinating many reflex actions independently of the brain, and is composed largely of white matter arranged in columns and tracts of longitudinal fibers about a large central core of gray matter somewhat H-shaped in cross section and pierced centrally by a small longitudinal canal continuous with the ventricles of the brain

called also medulla spinalis