What does "spinal" mean?

1. (relating to the spine) relating to the spine or the bones in your back. 2. (spinal anesthesia) an injection in the back that numbs the lower half of the body for surgery.

How do you use "spinal"?

Usually placed before the noun it modifies.

spinal

adj. · n.

US //ˈspaɪnəɫ// UK //spˈaɪnəl// spinal

1 relating to the spine (adj.)
B2 Upper Intermediate Technical Medicine

relating to the spine or the bones in your back.

pertaining to the vertebral column or the spinal cord.

Example

The doctor looked at the X-ray to check for any spinal injuries after the accident.

Example

The surgeon explained that the patient's chronic pain was caused by a spinal disc pressing against a nerve root in the lower back.

Usage

Usually placed before the noun it modifies.
- vertebral
2 spinal anesthesia (n.)
C1 Advanced Informal Technical Medicine

an injection in the back that numbs the lower half of the body for surgery.

an anesthetic drug injected into the subarachnoid space to produce loss of sensation in the lower body.

Example

She was awake during the operation because she had a spinal instead of being put to sleep.

Example

The anesthesiologist recommended a spinal for the procedure to minimize the systemic risks associated with general anesthesia.

Teacher's tip

This noun usage is common among medical professionals but may be confusing to general learners who only know the adjective form.
- spinal block
- epidural

Origin

Borrowed from Late Latin spīnālis (“of or belonging to the spine”), from spīna (“a prickle, spine”) + -ālis (“-al”, adjectival suffix). By surface analysis, spine + -al.