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

Spinal walking occurs in animals that have lost deep pain perception due to spinal cord injury. —Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025

In a lengthy interview with podcaster Andrew Callaghan in July 2025, Biden's son Hunter opened up about his father's health, revealing that the cancer had metastasized to his spinal cord. —Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025

Dane disclosed in April that he had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord and causes loss of muscle control. —Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 20 Oct. 2025

These cells, particularly the long axons of motor neurons, can stretch from the spinal cord to the tips of toes, approaching five feet in length. —Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Oct. 2025

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