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Glite Dictionary
vertebral canal

vertebral canal

7.2
A passage formed by the bones of the spine that holds the spinal cord
  • noun
  • /ˈvɜrtəbrəl kəˈnæl/
  • Specialized
translation icon : canal vertebral
  • Injuries to the vertebral canal can lead to severe back pain and neurological problems.

Examples

  • The surgeon carefully navigated the vertebral canal to avoid damaging the spinal cord.

  • The technician used imaging scans to examine the condition of the vertebral canal.

  • The space between the outer surface of the bone and the vertebral canal is rather small, so that any cause can determine a compression and dislocation of the bone itself.

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Synonyms

spinal canal
vsvertebral canal
  • Specialized
2 4.0

A passage through the spine that contains the spinal cord

is the more formal, Latin-derived name used in anatomy
canalis vertebralis
vsvertebral canal
  • Specialized
9.9

A space in the spine that holds the spinal cord

is the common English term rather than the Latin form

Surface Forms

vertebral canal singular
vertebral canals plural

Morphology

vertebral + canal

The meaning is directly compositional: 'vertebral' (relating to the vertebrae/spine) modifies 'canal' (a passage), so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer a passage formed by the vertebrae for the spinal cord. This adjective+noun construction is a standard, cross-linguistic pattern and therefore readily predictable from its parts.

Etymology

Vertebral canal comes from the bones of the spine. Imagine the stacked bones, called vertebrae, making a long canal or 'tunnel' that the spinal cord runs through, so the name means a passage that protects the cord.