LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · femininefirst declension

vertebra

vertebra f (genitive vertebrae)
Classical[ˈwɛr.tɛ.bra]Ecclesiastical[ˈvɛr.te.bra]

Meaning

  1. femininea joint
  2. femininea joint, vertebra of the spine

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativevertebravertebrae
genitivevertebraevertebrārum
dativevertebraevertebrīs
accusativevertebramvertebrās
ablativevertebrāvertebrīs
vocativevertebravertebrae

vertē^bra, ae, f. verto,
I. a joint.
I. In gen., Cels. 8, 1, Plin. 11, 46, 106, § 255; Sen. Ep. 78, 8.—Of insects, Plin. 11, 1, 1, § 1.—
II. In partic., a joint, vertebra of the spine, Cels. 8, 1.—
III. In late Lat. collat. form vertē^brum, i, n., = ἰσχίον, the hip-bone, Cael. Aur Acut. 1, 10, 71 al.

Origins

  1. Proto-Indo-European*wert-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*wértetor
  3. Proto-Italic*wertō
  4. Latinvertebra

Latin -bra Latin vertebra From vertō (“to turn”) + -bra (instrumental nominal suffix). Doublet of vertebrum.

Descendants
  • Englishvertebra
  • Frenchvertèbre
  • Italianvertebra
  • Portuguesevértebra
  • Spanishvértebra
  • Galicianvértebra
  • Irishveirteabra

In English words that came into English from vertebra

  • vertebravertebra
  • vertebratevertebrātus
  • vertebrevertebra

Quick answers

What does vertebra mean in Latin?
vertebra, a noun, means “a joint; a joint, vertebra of the spine”.
What is the genitive of vertebra?
The genitive singular is vertebrae. vertebra is feminine, first declension.
How do you pronounce vertebra?
In classical Latin, [ˈwɛr.tɛ.bra]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈvɛr.te.bra].
Where does vertebra come from?
Proto-Indo-European *wert- → Proto-Indo-European *wértetor → Proto-Italic *wertō → Latin vertebra.
Which English words come from vertebra?
English words that go back to Latin vertebra include vertebra, vertebre and vertebrate.