vertebra
/ˈvɝ.təb.ɹə/noun
vertebra is spelled V-E-R-T-E-B-R-A: 8 letters and 3 syllables. It appears about once in every 2 million words in written English, the 38,416th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, vertebra means “Any of the bony or cartilaginous segments which make up the backbone, consisting in some lower vertebrates of several distinct elements which never…” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of vertebra is vertebrae or vertebras; Wiktionary also lists vertebræ (obsolete).
How many letters and syllables are in vertebra?
| Letters | 8: V-E-R-T-E-B-R-A |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 3 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | about once in every 2 million words; the 38,416th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is vertebra?
Vertebra appears about once in every 2 million words in written English, the 38,416th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce vertebra?
- UK /ˈvɜː.tɪb.ɹə/
- US /ˈvɝ.təb.ɹə/
- US /ˈvɝ.təˌbɹeɪ/
Vertebra has 3 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-vertebra.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of vertebra
- vertebrae plural
- vertebras plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does vertebra mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
Any of the bony or cartilaginous segments which make up the backbone, consisting in some lower vertebrates of several distinct elements which never become united, and in higher vertebrates having a short more or less cylindrical body whose ends articulate by pads of elastic or cartilaginous tissue with those of adjacent vertebrae and a bony arch that encloses the spinal cord.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Vertebra in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense any of the small bones making up the backbone:
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does vertebra come from?
Borrowing from Latin vertebra (“a joint”), from vertō (“to turn”) + -bra (instrumental nominal suffix). Having multiple vertebrae (plural of vertebra) in one's backbone instead of having a single bone or solid spine, allows for the movement of the body with bends and turns. Hence meaning 1.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).