Vertebra

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈvɜː.tɪb.ɹə/

Definitions

1. A skeletal element in the spinal structure that contributes to the formation of the spine and safeguards the spinal cord while allowing movement and support
2. A bone segment forming part of the backbone which provides protection for the spinal cord and contributes to the overall flexibility and stability of the spine
3. A structural component of the spine that not only encases and protects the spinal cord but also permits a range of motion and supports the body's posture

Etymology: The spine's bones are named for the act of turning. The Latin "vertebra" meant "a joint," and it came from "vertere," "to turn," with the suffix "-bra," which marked a tool or means of doing something. A vertebra, in other words, is literally a turning-thing: each bone is a hinge that lets the body bend and twist rather than standing rigid on a single solid column. The name reflects a simple idea of how a backbone works. A stack of separate, jointed segments can flex in many directions, while one unbroken rod could not. Latin speakers applied the term to the joints that made such movement possible, and English later borrowed it directly as a technical word for each of the spine's individual bones.

Synonyms: spinal bone, backbone, spine, cervical, lumbar