What does lumbar mean?
Lumbar is chiefly an adjective describing the lower back, the region between the rib cage and the pelvis. It is especially common in anatomy, where “lumbar vertebrae” refers to the five bones that support much of the body’s weight and allow the spine to bend. The related noun “lumbar” can mean one of these vertebrae. In everyday medical language, people may speak of lumbar pain, a lumbar strain, or a lumbar-region injury. Although the term is technical, it is widely understood and frequently appears in discussions of back pain, spinal discs, injections, and physical therapy. Its Latin origin, from lumbus, referring to the loin or lower back, gives the word a particularly direct connection with the part of the body it describes.
Relating to the loins or lower back, especially the five vertebrae of the lumbar spine.
"The MRI revealed a herniated disc in the lumbar region."
Common in medical and anatomical contexts; it is also used attributively in phrases such as “lumbar pain.”
A lumbar vertebra, one of the five vertebrae situated between the thoracic spine and the sacrum.
"The fifth lumbar is the lowest vertebra of the lumbar spine."
Usually used in anatomical or medical contexts and commonly appearing in the phrase “lumbar vertebrae.”
The standard plural is “lumbar vertebrae,” referring collectively to the five lumbar bones.
"The five lumbar vertebrae bear much of the body’s weight."
The word lumbar comes from Latin lumbus, meaning “loin,” a fitting origin for a term associated with the body’s lower back.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does lumbar come from?
The English word entered medical usage from Latin, where lumbus referred to the loin or lower back. The Latin term was adopted into scientific descriptions of the spine, initially for the vertebrae in that region. English later extended the adjective to other structures of the lower back, including muscles, nerves, and discs. Related forms include lumbago, an older term for lower-back pain, and lumbosacral, referring to the junction of the lumbar and sacral spine.
Related word forms
How lumbar is actually used
In medicine and anatomy, lumbar is a formal technical term. The plural noun is normally “lumbar vertebrae,” rather than “lumbars.”
Easily confused with lumbar
Lumbar refers to the lower back or a lower-back vertebra, whereas lumber usually means wood cut into usable pieces or, informally, bulky or awkward movement.