SPINE
What does "SPINE" mean?
The column of vertebrae running down the back; the backbone.
Meanings
- The series of vertebrae extending from the skull to the pelvis; the backbone. Years at a desk left a permanent curve in his spine.
- The narrow edge of a book where the pages are bound. The cracked spine showed how often the novel was reread.
- A sharp, stiff projection on a plant or animal, like a thorn or quill. Each cactus spine was tipped with a barely visible hook. technical
- Firmness of character; resolve or courage. It took spine to refuse the offer in front of the whole board. figurative
Did you know?
- Babies are born with about 33 separate vertebrae, but several fuse over time, so most adults end up with roughly 24 movable bones plus the fused sacrum and tailbone.
Word origin
From Latin 'spina' (thorn, backbone), via Old French 'espine' into English; the same root gives 'spinach' (a prickly-seeded plant).
Remember it
SPINE contains 'pin' - a row of little pins stacked up is exactly what your backbone looks like.
A little poem
A stack of stones the body trusts,
the spine bears years, and aches, and dusts-
and stands, because it knows it must.
tercet
Wordplay
- A book and a coward have the same problem: when you really need them, neither one has any spine.
What it teaches
The spine bends so you can move and holds so you can stand; flexibility and firmness are the same column.
Quick facts
What does SPINE mean?
The column of vertebrae running down the back; the backbone.
Is SPINE a valid word?
Yes — SPINE is one of the answer words in Wordul, the daily word game.
How many letters is SPINE?
SPINE has 5 letters and 1 syllable.
Where does SPINE come from?
From Latin 'spina' (thorn, backbone), via Old French 'espine' into English; the same root gives 'spinach' (a prickly-seeded plant).
What can SPINE teach us?
The spine bends so you can move and holds so you can stand; flexibility and firmness are the same column.
How players do
Be the first to solve it.