cauda equina

noun

cauda equi·na -ek-ˈwē-nə

-ē-ˈkwī-nə

plural caudae equinae -ek-ˈwē-ˌnī, -ē-ˈkwī-ˌnē

: the roots of the spinal nerves that extend beyond the termination of the spinal cord at the first lumbar vertebra in the form of a bundle of filaments within the spinal canal resembling a horse's tail

From its tip at the base of the spine, about 20 stringy nerves—called the cauda equina, or horse's tail—travel downward within a fluid-filled sac.—

Bruce H. Dobkin

Cite this Entry

Style

“Cauda equina.” Merriam-Webster.com Medical Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/cauda%20equina. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.

Copy Citation