Vertebra-Vertebrae | Commonly Confused Words
Learn languages with fun

Master confusing words with ease

Vertebra vs. Vertebrae

Vertebra

/ˈvɜːtəbrə/
A small bone that forms part of the backbone

Examples:

She fractured a vertebra while skiing down the slope.The ancient fossil had a perfectly preserved vertebra.Yoga can relieve tension around the cervical vertebra.

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

Vertebrae

The small bones that form the spine.

Examples:

The X-ray showed a fracture in the first lumbar vertebra.Marine vertebrae are often used to study evolution.Yoga can help keep your vertebrae flexible and healthy.

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

Ways to tell them apart:

etymology
  • Vertebra ends with an a and refers to one single bone within the spine. Remember, the a is singular.
  • Vertebrae ends with an e and refers to multiple bones or the collection of all such bones in the spine. Think of the e in vertebrae as an echo — when you have lots of echoes, you have many sounds, just like how vertebrae is plural.
  • Both words start with vertebr-, so focus on the suffix to determine singular or plural.
© 2025 Lithium Lab Pte Ltd