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
: a spinal anesthetic
Examples of spinal in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 17 Jan. 2026
Swimming is especially beneficial for posture and spinal extension, particularly for people who sit at a desk for most of the day, Matthews explained.
—Danielle Zickl, Health, 15 Jan. 2026
Lisa Hagen, Hartford Courant, 13 Jan. 2026
Uber’s lawsuit alleged that many patients underwent an unnecessary spinal fusion that takes months to recover from in order to get a larger settlement.
—Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 1 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spinal
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Adjective
In August 2023, after nearly two years of relentless migraines, endless testing and advocating for herself, doctors officially diagnosed Meredith with a spinal cerebrospinal fluid leak (CSF), which also caused Intracranial Hypotension Spontaneous.
—Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 17 Jan. 2026
Swimming is especially beneficial for posture and spinal extension, particularly for people who sit at a desk for most of the day, Matthews explained.
—Danielle Zickl, Health, 15 Jan. 2026
Noun
The Mayo Clinic describes spinal stenosis as a condition where the spaces in the backbone are too small.
—Lisa Hagen, Hartford Courant, 13 Jan. 2026
Uber’s lawsuit alleged that many patients underwent an unnecessary spinal fusion that takes months to recover from in order to get a larger settlement.
—Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 1 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spinal
Cite this Entry
“Spinal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spinal. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
spinal
1 of 2 adjective
spi·nal
ˈspīn-ᵊl 
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
c
: used for spinal anesthesia
a spinal anesthetic
3
: made for or fitted to the spinal column
a spinal brace
spinal
2 of 2 noun
: a spinal anesthetic
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