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Glite Dictionary
neurapophysis

neurapophysis

9.9
A bony point on a bone in the spine that helps protect the spinal cord
  • noun
  • /nʊəˈræpəfɪsɪs/
  • Specialized
: neuroapófisis
  • Each vertebra's neurapophysis contributes to the formation of the neural arch.

Examples

  • The neurapophysis provides structural support for the spinal cord in vertebrates.

  • In reptiles, the neurapophysis is an important feature of the vertebral column.

  • Inclination of caudal anterior vertical surface of neurapophysis.

    Academic text (2018)

Surface Forms

neurapophysis singular
neurapophyses plural

Morphology

neurapophysis = apophysis (semi-transparent) = neur + apophysis

The formation is a straightforward combining of the nerve-related combining form 'neur-' and the medical noun 'apophysis', but both elements are specialist terms so meaning is clear to specialists but not to average learners.

Etymology

Neurapophysis comes from Greek parts: neur- meaning 'nerve', as in English neural, and apophysis meaning 'an outgrowth' or 'bump' on a bone, like a 'process'. So a neurapophysis is the bone projection near the nerve part of a vertebra that helps form the neural arch and protect the spinal cord.