vertebra

Everyday

1. A vertebra is one of the small bones that are linked together to make the backbone (spine). tree →
2. The vertebrae protect the spinal cord, the bundle of nerves that carries messages between the brain and the body. tree →

In the lessons

In science lessons on the skeleton, the spine is made of vertebrae; animals with backbones are vertebrates (fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals) and animals without are invertebrates (insects, worms, jellyfish). Humans usually have 33 vertebrae (some join together). Phrases: «a broken vertebra», «neck vertebrae», «vertebrates and invertebrates».

Examples

• The spine is made of many small bones, each called a vertebra. tree →
• A giraffe has seven vertebrae in its neck — the same number as a human. tree →
• The doctor said he had cracked a vertebra in the fall. tree →
• Snakes have hundreds of vertebrae. tree →
• Fish are vertebrates because they have a backbone of vertebrae. tree →
• We felt the bumps of our vertebrae down our backs. tree →

Note

Irregular plural: vertebrae (say «VUR-te-bray» or «VUR-te-bree»), not «vertebras». Fact for maths and quizzes: a human has 7 neck vertebrae, as does a giraffe — a giraffe's are just much longer. Safety: a person who may have hurt their back or neck should not be moved until help comes.