Word
spinal
US/ˈspaɪnəɫ/
UK/spˈaɪnəl/
Definitions
01relating to the spine
B2 · Upper Intermediate Medicine Technical
adj. relating to the spine or the bones in your back.
adj. pertaining to the vertebral column or the spinal cord.
“The doctor looked at the X-ray to check for any spinal injuries after the accident.”
“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.
Synonyms
02spinal anesthesia
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Medicine Informal · Technical
n. an injection in the back that numbs the lower half of the body for surgery.
n. an anesthetic drug injected into the subarachnoid space to produce loss of sensation in the lower body.
“She was awake during the operation because she had a spinal instead of being put to sleep.”
“The anesthesiologist recommended a spinal for the procedure to minimize the systemic risks associated with general anesthesia.”
Teaching tip
This noun usage is common among medical professionals but may be confusing to general learners who only know the adjective form.
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “spinal” in context.
Real-World Examples
“Obviously, the different areas of our brain and the spinal cord go on to form very different structures, which later perform very different functions.” “An Irishman who was given a 5 per cent chance of walking again after a serious spinal injury has set out on a 4,500km charity trek across the United States .” Etymology
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.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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