'Vertebral' is the adjective from 'vertebra'. It means 'to do with the bones of the backbone'.

'Vertebral'「vertebral」 is the adjective from 'vertebra'是「vertebra（脊椎骨）」的形容詞。It means它的意思是 'to do with the bones of the backbone'「跟脊柱的骨頭有關」。

Almost all the time you will meet it inside a fixed medical phrase rather than on its own. The commonest by far is 'the vertebral column', which is simply the formal name for the spine — the whole stack of bones from your neck to your tailbone. You will also hear 'vertebral artery' (a blood vessel that runs up through holes in the neck bones to feed the brain) and 'vertebral fracture' (a broken back bone).

Almost all the time you will meet it幾乎每次你遇到它 inside a fixed medical phrase都是在固定的醫學詞組裡 rather than on its own很少單獨出現。The commonest by far is 'the vertebral column'目前為止最常見的就是「the vertebral column」， which is simply the formal name for the spine其實就是脊柱的正式說法 — the whole stack of bones from your neck to your tailbone從脖子到尾椎骨整串疊起來的骨頭。You will also hear你也會聽到 'vertebral artery'「vertebral artery」 (a blood vessel that runs up through holes in the neck bones to feed the brain)（一條穿過頸椎骨孔洞、往上供應大腦血液的血管） and 'vertebral fracture'和「vertebral fracture」 (a broken back bone)（脊椎骨折）。

This is a technical word: doctors, physiotherapists, radiographers and biology textbooks use it, and ordinary people say 'spinal' or just 'back'. Note that 'spinal' and 'vertebral' overlap but are not swappable. 'Spinal cord' is the nerve; 'vertebral column' is the bone around it. If you say 'vertebral cord' or 'spinal column', people will still understand you — 'spinal column' is in fact common — but 'vertebral cord' is wrong.

This is a technical word這是專業術語： doctors, physiotherapists, radiographers and biology textbooks use it醫師、物理治療師、放射師和生物課本會用， and ordinary people say一般人則會說 'spinal'「spinal」 or just 'back'或直接說「back」。Note that注意 'spinal' and 'vertebral' overlap「spinal」和「vertebral」意思重疊 but are not swappable但不能互換。'Spinal cord'「spinal cord」 is the nerve是神經； 'vertebral column'「vertebral column」 is the bone around it是包在外面的骨頭。If you say如果你說 'vertebral cord'「vertebral cord」 or 'spinal column'或「spinal column」， people will still understand you別人還是聽得懂 — 'spinal column' is in fact common「spinal column」其實也很常見 — but 'vertebral cord' is wrong但「vertebral cord」是錯的說法。

In some older writing you may see 'a vertebral' used as a noun for a backboned animal, but that use has largely died out; today say 'vertebrate'.

In some older writing在一些比較舊的文章裡 you may see 'a vertebral' used as a noun for a backboned animal你可能會看到「a vertebral」被當名詞使用，指有脊椎的動物， but that use has largely died out但這種用法幾乎已經消失了； today say 'vertebrate'現在要說「vertebrate」。