---
title: vertebra — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «vertebra» in the school dictionary: A vertebra is one of the small bones that are linked together to make the backbone (spine). Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# vertebra

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** vertebra, vertebrae, bundle, many small bones, giraffe, doctor · **What happens:** be, link, make, protect, carry, call · **To what, where:** one, small bones, backbone, spinal cord, messages, spine · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«vertebra» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 6 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [vertebra in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/vertebra.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A vertebra is one of the small bones that are linked together to make the backbone (spine).

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:vertebra:m1:1
# text = A vertebra is one of the small bones that are linked together to make the backbone (spine).
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	vertebra	vertebra	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	0	root	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	bones	bone	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nmod	_	_
9	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	11	nsubj:pass	_	_
10	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	aux:pass	_	_
11	linked	link	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	acl:relcl	_	_
12	together	together	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
13	to	to	PART	TO	_	14	mark	_	_
14	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	11	advcl	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	backbone	backbone	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obj	_	_
17	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	18	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	spine	spine	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	18	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a vertebra | one |  |  |  | of the small bones | tree rules |
| 2 | **link** | present · passive |  | the small bones |  |  |  | together *property* | vn mix-22.1-2-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Patient |
| 3 | **make** | to-infinitive |  | the backbone |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset backbone=Product |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The vertebrae protect the spinal cord, the bundle of nerves that carries messages between the brain and the body.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:vertebra:m2:1
# text = The vertebrae protect the spinal cord, the bundle of nerves that carries messages between the brain and the body.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	vertebrae	vertebra	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	protect	protect	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	spinal	spinal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	cord	cord	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	bundle	bundle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	appos	_	_
10	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	nerves	nerve	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	nmod	_	_
12	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	13	nsubj	_	_
13	carries	carry	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	acl:relcl	_	_
14	messages	message	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	obj	_	_
15	between	between	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	brain	brain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obl	_	_
18	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	20	cc	_	_
19	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
20	body	body	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **protect** | present | the vertebrae | the spinal cord |  |  |  |  | vn defend-72.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent cord=Beneficiary |
| 2 | **carry** | present | the bundle of nerves | messages |  |  |  | between the brain and the body | vn carry-11.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent message=Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The spine is made of many small bones, each called a vertebra.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:vertebra:x1:1
# text = The spine is made of many small bones, each called a vertebra.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	spine	spine	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	many	many	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
7	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	bones	bone	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
10	each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	11	nsubj:pass	_	_
11	called	call	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	acl	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	vertebra	vertebra	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | present · passive |  | the spine |  |  |  | of many small bones | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: subject=Product |
| 2 | **call** | participle · passive | many small bones *not said here* | each |  |  |  |  | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: subject=Recipient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A giraffe has seven vertebrae in its neck — the same number as a human.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:vertebra:x2:1
# text = A giraffe has seven vertebrae in its neck — the same number as a human.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	giraffe	giraffe	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	seven	seven	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	5	nummod	_	_
5	vertebrae	vertebra	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	neck	neck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
9	—	-	PUNCT	:	_	12	punct	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	same	same	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	number	number	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	appos	_	_
13	as	as	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	human	human	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | a giraffe | seven vertebrae |  | giraffe's neck |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent vertebra=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The doctor said he had cracked a vertebra in the fall.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:vertebra:x3:1
# text = The doctor said he had cracked a vertebra in the fall.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	doctor	doctor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
5	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
6	cracked	crack	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	3	ccomp	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	vertebra	vertebra	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	fall	fall	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | the doctor |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **crack** | past · perfect | doctor | a vertebra |  | the fall |  |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location vertebra=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Snakes have hundreds of vertebrae.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:vertebra:x4:1
# text = Snakes have hundreds of vertebrae.
1	Snakes	snake	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	have	have	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	hundreds	hundred	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	vertebrae	vertebra	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | Snakes | hundreds of vertebrae |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent hundred=Patient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Fish are vertebrates because they have a backbone of vertebrae.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:vertebra:x5:1
# text = Fish are vertebrates because they have a backbone of vertebrae.
1	Fish	fish	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	vertebrates	vertebrate	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
4	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
5	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
6	have	have	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	acl	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	backbone	backbone	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	vertebrae	vertebra	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Fish | vertebrates |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **have** | present | Fish | a backbone of vertebrae |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent backbone=Patient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We felt the bumps of our vertebrae down our backs.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:vertebra:x6:1
# text = We felt the bumps of our vertebrae down our backs.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	felt	feel	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	bumps	bump	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	vertebrae	vertebra	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nmod	_	_
8	down	down	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
9	our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	10	nmod:poss	_	_
10	backs	back	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **feel** | past | We | the bumps of our vertebrae and our backs |  |  |  |  | vn hunt-35.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent bump=Theme |
| 2 | **bump** |  |  | our vertebrae and our backs |  |  |  |  | nom bump «state transitive»: of=patient |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

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