n.
- a series of vertebrae extending from the skull to the small of the back, enclosing the spinal cord and providing support for the thorax and abdomen; the backbone.
- a central feature or main source of strength.
- the part of a book's jacket or cover that encloses the inner edges of the pages.
- chiefly Zoology & Botany a prickle or other hard pointed projection or structure.
-
(also pay spine)
a linear pay scale operated by some large organizations that allows flexibility for local and specific conditions.
Derivative
Etymology
ME: shortening of OFr. espine, or from L. spina ‘thorn, backbone’.