RACHIS (rhachises)

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

Irregular inflected form: rhachises   

 Dictionary entry overview: What does rachis mean? 

• RACHIS (noun)
  The noun RACHIS has 2 senses:

1. axis of a compound leaf or compound inflorescence

2. the series of vertebrae forming the axis of the skeleton and protecting the spinal cord

  Familiarity information: RACHIS used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• RACHIS (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Axis of a compound leaf or compound inflorescence

Classified under:

Nouns denoting plants

Hypernyms ("rachis" is a kind of...):

axis (the main stem or central part about which plant organs or plant parts such as branches are arranged)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The series of vertebrae forming the axis of the skeleton and protecting the spinal cord

Classified under:

Nouns denoting body parts

Synonyms:

back; backbone; rachis; spinal column; spine; vertebral column

Context example:

the fall broke his back

Hypernyms ("rachis" is a kind of...):

skeletal structure (any structure created by the skeleton of an organism)

Meronyms (parts of "rachis"):

canalis vertebralis; spinal canal; vertebral canal (the canal in successive vertebrae through which the spinal cord passes)

coccyx; tail bone (the end of the vertebral column in humans and tailless apes)

vertebra (one of the bony segments of the spinal column)

intervertebral disc; intervertebral disk (a fibrocartilaginous disc serving as a cushion between all of the vertebrae of the spinal column (except between the first two))

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "rachis"):

notochord (a flexible rodlike structure that forms the supporting axis of the body in the lowest chordates and lowest vertebrates and in embryos of higher vertebrates)

chine (backbone of an animal)

Holonyms ("rachis" is a part of...):

axial skeleton (the part of the skeleton that includes the skull and spinal column and sternum and ribs)

 Context examples 

Because the dinosaur feathers do not have a well-developed shaft, called a rachis, but do have other features of feathers — barbs and barbules — the researchers inferred the rachis was likely a later evolutionary development that these other features.

(Scientists find dinosaur feathers preserved in amber, Wikinews)