Definition

1. Noun:
   • The spinal cord is a long, thin, tubular bundle of nervous tissue and support cells that extends from the brainstem down through the vertebral column (spine). It is a major part of the central nervous system, responsible for transmitting nerve signals between the brain and the rest of the body.

Usage

• The spinal cord is protected by the bones of the spinal column.
• Damage to the spinal cord can result in paralysis or loss of sensation.
• Sensory information from the skin travels to the brain via the spinal cord.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The injury severely damaged his spinal cord.
  • The brain and the spinal cord together form the central nervous system.
  • Reflex actions are often processed at the level of the spinal cord without involving the brain.

Advanced Usage

• "Spinal cord injury (SCI)": A medical term for damage to the spinal cord that results in a loss of function, such as mobility or feeling.
  • Advances in medicine aim to find treatments for spinal cord injury.
• In medical and anatomical contexts, "spinal cord" is often used with verbs like , , , , and .

Variants and Related Words

• Spinal (adjective): Relating to the spine or spinal cord.
  • He underwent spinal surgery.
• Cord (noun): In this specific compound, it refers to the bundle of nerve fibers. (Note: Alone, "cord" can mean a thin, flexible string or a type of cable).
• Central Nervous System (CNS) (noun phrase): The complex of nerve tissues that controls the activities of the body, comprising the brain and spinal cord.
• Vertebral column / Spine (noun): The series of vertebrae extending from the skull to the lower back, enclosing the spinal cord.

Synonyms

• Medulla spinalis (technical/medical Latin term).
• There are no common, non-technical synonyms for "spinal cord" as it refers to a specific anatomical structure.

Related Phrases / Collocations

• Spinal cord compression: Pressure on the spinal cord.
• Spinal cord stimulation: A medical therapy that uses electrical impulses.
• Spinal cord tract: A collection of nerve fibers in the spinal cord with a common function.

Notes

• "Spinal cord" is almost always used as a compound noun. The individual words "spinal" and "cord" have broader, separate meanings.
• It is a countable noun, but typically used in the singular ( spinal cord) when referring to the structure in the body. The plural "spinal cords" is used when comparing or referring to the cords of multiple individuals or animals.

Noun

1. a major part of the central nervous system which conducts sensory and motor nerve impulses to and from the brain; a long tubelike structure extending from the base of the brain through the vertebral canal to the upper lumbar region