spinal

adjective spi·nal \ ˈspī-nᵊl \

Updated on: 13 Apr 2018

Definition of spinal

1 : of, relating to, or situated near the spinal column

2 a : of, relating to, or affecting the spinal cord

spinal reflexes

b : having the spinal cord functionally isolated (as by surgical section) from the brain

experiments on spinal animals

3 : of, relating to, or resembling a spine

See spinal defined for English-language learners

See spinal defined for kids

Recent Examples of spinal from the Web

AveXis’s main drug treats spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a degenerative genetic condition that affects muscle function.

— hallie detrick, Fortune, "Why Novartis Is Paying $8.7 Billion for a Gene Therapy Developer You've Never Heard Of," 9 Apr. 2018
Evans makes sense for the Steelers, particularly after the scary spinal injury Ryan Shazier sustained last year.

— drew davison, star-telegram, "2018 NFL Mock Draft 2.0: Can defense-needy Cowboys afford to pass on Calvin Ridley? | Fort Worth Star-Telegram," 4 Apr. 2018
Those victims can suffer injuries from a wounded finger that may only require hours-worth of treatment, to spinal injuries that leave victims like Rhodes paralyzed and head injuries that cause brain damage.

— jessica anderson, baltimoresun.com, "Baltimore man survived 2013 shooting, but died from his injuries nearly five years later," 4 Apr. 2018
With Rios Montt by then in his late 80s and reportedly suffering from heart disease and spinal problems, human rights watchdogs feared the setback meant he would never be convicted.

— sonia perez d., USA TODAY, "Former Guatemala dictator Rios Montt, 91, dies facing genocide charges," 3 Apr. 2018
With Rios Montt by then in his late 80s and reportedly suffering from heart disease and spinal problems, human rights watchdogs feared the setback meant he would never be convicted.

— Time, "Former Guatemala Dictator Efrain Rios Montt Dies at 91," 1 Apr. 2018
Frenchies and bulldogs also can be susceptible to certain spinal and eye problems.

— Washington Post, "Labs still lead but French bulldogs leap in popularity in US," 28 Mar. 2018
Frenchies and bulldogs also can be susceptible to certain spinal and eye problems.

— CBS News, "Top U.S. dog breeds: Labs lead, French bulldogs leap in popularity," 28 Mar. 2018
Frenchies and bulldogs also can be susceptible to certain spinal and eye problems.

— jennifer peltz, chicagotribune.com, "Labs still the favorite dog in U.S., but French bulldogs surge in popularity," 28 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'spinal.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of spinal

1578

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

spinal

noun

Definition of spinal

: a spinal anesthetic

Recent Examples of spinal from the Web

The drug, known as AVXS-101, could be approved for Type 1 spinal muscular atrophy by the end of this year, according to Wells Fargo’s Jim Birchenough, whose price target of $171 implies another 34 percent upside for the shares.

— bailey lipschultz, Bloomberg.com, "Biotech Stock Draws Skeptics Even as It Rallies to New Highs," 7 Mar. 2018
The report, published Thursday in the New England Journal of Medicine, identified a major cause of miscarriages, in addition to heart, spinal, kidney and cleft palate problems in newborn babies.

— rob taylor, WSJ, "Spread the News: Vitamin B3 in Vegemite Prevents Some Birth Defects," 10 Aug. 2017