Vertebrally

Part of speech: adverb

Definitions

1. In a manner relating to or characteristic of the spine or vertebrae; concerning the central column of bones that supports the body; in a way connected to the vertebral structure
2. Pertaining to actions or conditions involving the backbone; with reference to the series of articulated bones forming the spinal column; relating to the vertebral arrangement or function
3. In the style of or concerning the spinal vertebrae; describing processes or features associated with the backbone’s anatomy; regarding the vertebral system or its components

Etymology: "Vertebrally" is a plain adverb built from "vertebral" and the suffix "-ly," which turns an adjective into an adverb describing how something is done or how it relates to something else. "Vertebral" itself comes from "vertebra," the Latin word for a joint or segment of the backbone, which is derived from "vertere," meaning "to turn." The image is of a bone that pivots against its neighbours, so the spine's segments are named for their turning action. Adding "-ly" to "vertebral" produces an adverb meaning "in a vertebral way" or "with respect to the vertebrae," as in describing a condition that affects the spine specifically. Because the base word is a technical anatomical term, "vertebrally" is mostly confined to medical and scientific writing.

Synonyms: spinally