# lumbar

/ˈɫəmˌbɑɹ/ (US) · /lˈʌmbɑː/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/lumbar
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. lower back

adjective · CEFR C1 · Technical

related to the lower part of your back.

For teachers: relating to the lower back or the loin, specifically the five vertebrae between the rib cage and the pelvis.

- He bought a new office chair with extra lumbar support to help his back pain.
- The patient reported acute pain in the lumbar region, suggesting a possible issue with the lower vertebrae rather than a muscular strain.

Usage: Usually placed before a noun like 'support', 'region', or 'vertebrae'.

Teaching tip: While this is a medical term, students will most often see it in advertisements for office chairs or car seats ('lumbar support').

### 2. a bone in the lower back

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical · Informal

one of the bones in the lower part of the spine.

For teachers: a lumbar vertebra or the general lumbar region of the body.

- The doctor explained that the injury was located near the third lumbar.
- The X-ray clearly showed a slight misalignment of the fourth lumbar, which was likely the source of the chronic discomfort.

Usage: Often used as a shorthand in medical contexts to refer to a specific vertebra.

Teaching tip: This noun use is quite specialized; in everyday English, people almost always use 'lumbar' as an adjective.

## Examples

- This office chair provides excellent lumbar support.
- After sitting at his desk for eight hours, he felt a sharp pain in his lumbar region.
- The physician recommended specific stretching exercises to alleviate the chronic tension in the patient's lumbar vertebrae caused by poor posture during long commutes.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.