spine

[ spahyn ]
See synonyms for spine on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. the spinal or vertebral column; backbone.

  2. any backbonelike part.

  1. a stiff, pointed process or appendage on an animal, as a quill of a porcupine, or a sharp, bony ray in the fin of a fish.

  2. something, as a quality or trait, that constitutes a principal strength; resolution; stamina; backbone: a situation that would test a person's spine.

  3. a ridge, as of ground or rock.

  4. a sharp-pointed, hard or woody outgrowth on a plant; thorn.

  5. Bookbinding. the back of a book cover or binding, usually indicating the title and author.

Origin of spine

1
1400–50; late Middle English <Latin spīna thorn, backbone

Other words from spine

  • spined, adjective
  • spinelike, adjective

Words Nearby spine

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use spine in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for spine

spine

/ (spaɪn) /


noun
  1. the spinal column

  2. the sharply pointed tip or outgrowth of a leaf, stem, etc

  1. zoology a hard pointed process or structure, such as the ray of a fin, the quill of a porcupine, or the ridge on a bone

  2. the back of a book, record sleeve, etc

  3. a ridge, esp of a hill

  4. strength of endurance, will, etc

  5. anything resembling the spinal column in function or importance; main support or feature

Origin of spine

1
C14: from Old French espine spine, from Latin spīna thorn, backbone

Derived forms of spine

  • spined, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for spine

spine

[ spīn ]


  1. Any of various pointed projections, processes, or appendages of animals.

  1. A sharp-pointed projection on a plant, especially a hard, narrow modified leaf, as on a cactus, that is adapted to reduce water loss. Compare thorn. See more at leaf.

Other words from spine

  • spinal adjective

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.