Word
intervertebral disc
Definition
n. a pad of tough tissue that sits between the bones of your spine. It acts like a shock absorber to protect your back when you move.
n. a fibrocartilaginous structure positioned between adjacent vertebral bodies in the spinal column. It functions as a ligament to hold the vertebrae together and as a shock absorber to protect the nerves and spinal cord.
Examples
“Lifting heavy boxes incorrectly can damage an intervertebral disc.”
“The doctor explained that the patient's back pain was caused by a slipped intervertebral disc pressing against a nerve.”
“Chronic degeneration of an intervertebral disc often leads to reduced mobility and may require physical therapy or surgical intervention to alleviate persistent neural compression.”
Examples
simple
“Lifting heavy boxes incorrectly can damage an intervertebral disc.”
contextual
“The doctor explained that the patient's back pain was caused by a slipped intervertebral disc pressing against a nerve.”
complex
“Chronic degeneration of an intervertebral disc often leads to reduced mobility and may require physical therapy or surgical intervention to alleviate persistent neural compression.”
Usage
Commonly shortened to 'disc' in clinical or informal medical contexts when the spinal location is already established.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/intervertebral-disc