# spine

> English word · Noun · IPA /spaɪn/ · frequency rank #7,983

## Definitions
1. A series of bones situated at the back from the head to the pelvis of a human, or from the head to the tail of an animal, enclosing the spinal cord and providing support for the thorax and abdomen.
2. A series of bones situated at the back from the head to the pelvis of a human, or from the head to the tail of an animal, enclosing the spinal cord and providing support for the thorax and abdomen.
3. Something resembling a backbone, such as a ridge, or a long, central structure from which other structures radiate.
4. The narrow, bound edge of a book that encloses the inner edges of the pages, facing outwards when the book is on a shelf and typically bearing the title and the author's and publisher's name.
5. A pointed, fairly rigid protuberance or needlelike structure on an animal, shell, mushroom or plant. The botanical term technically refers to such a structure derived from a leaf or part of a leaf.
6. The heartwood of trees.
7. Ellipsis of dendritic spine.
8. A linear payscale operated by some large organizations that allows flexibility for local and specific conditions.
9. A tall mass of viscous lava extruded from a volcano.
10. The stiffness of an arrow.
11. A central part which supports a whole; core.

## Etymology
From late Middle English spyne, from Old French espine (French épine) or its source, Latin spīna (“a thorn; a prickle, spine; the backbone”). Doublet of spina.

## Easily confused with
- **spit** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spine-vs-spit)
- **spun** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spine-vs-spun)
- **stone** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spine-vs-stone)
- **spoke** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spine-vs-spoke)
- **swing** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spine-vs-swing)
- **suite** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spine-vs-suite)
- **spite** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spine-vs-spite)
- **sting** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spine-vs-sting)
- **stint** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spine-vs-stint)
- **swipe** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spine-vs-swipe)
- **spree** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spine-vs-spree)
- **spins** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spine-vs-spins)
- **suing** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spine-vs-suing)
- **stink** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spine-vs-stink)
- **swine** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spine-vs-swine)
- **spire** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spine-vs-spire)
- **spore** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spine-vs-spore)
- **stipe** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spine-vs-stipe)
- **spiro** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spine-vs-spiro)
- **spunk** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spine-vs-spunk)

## Common misspellings (7)
`psine`, `sipne`, `spien`, `spinne`, `spnie`, `sppine`, `sspine`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/spine