spinal column

as in spine
a column of bones supporting the trunk of a vertebrate animal a diagram of the spinal column

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of spinal column Felines have a much more elastic spinal column than humans and many other animals. Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 May 2025 Spinal Stenosis Spinal stenosis is the narrowing of the spinal column. Kelly Burch Published, Verywell Health, 12 May 2025 In the embryo, pigment-producing cells emerge at the point where the spinal column will later develop. Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 16 Apr. 2025 The team found that, in mice, the early development of the head and the peripheral nerves (those outside of the brain and spinal column) follows common patterns seen in other jawed vertebrates. Russel Honoré, Newsweek, 6 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for spinal column
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spinal column
Noun
  • The report is said to highlight the pain reliever Tylenol, when taken during pregnancy, along with low levels of folate, a vitamin that is important for proper development of a baby’s brain and spine, as potential causes of autism, according to the Wall Street Journal.
    Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Kwame was being treated for arthritis, mostly in his upper spine for the past few years.
    Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Although many of its bones were unearthed from the Morrison Formation in Colorado in 2021-2022, its skull and parts of its vertebral column were missing, leaving scientists unsure of its precise length.
    Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 25 June 2025
  • The Chicago fossil possesses the only vertebral column of an Archaeopteryx, which includes two tiny vertebrae at the tip of the tail, showing there were a total of 24 vertebrae, one more than previously thought.
    Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 15 May 2025

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“Spinal column.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spinal%20column. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

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