Chapter Vert to Vesper of V by Webster's Dictionary (1913 Edition)

Vert to Vesper

Vert
(Vert) n. [F., green, from L. viridis. See Verdant, and cf. Verd.]

1. (Eng. Forest Law) (a) Everything that grows, and bears a green leaf, within the forest; as, to preserve vert and venison is the duty of the verderer. (b) The right or privilege of cutting growing wood.

2. (Her.) The color green, represented in a drawing or engraving by parallel lines sloping downward toward the right.

Verteber
(Ver"te*ber) n. A vertebra. [Obs.]

Vertebra
(||Ver"te*bra) n.; pl. Vertebræ [L. vertebra, fr. vertere to turn, change. See Verse.]

1. (Anat.) One of the serial segments of the spinal column.

In many fishes the vertebræ are simple cartilaginous disks or short cylinders, but in the higher vertebrates they are composed of many parts, and the vertebræ in different portions of the same column vary very greatly. A well-developed vertebra usually consists of a more or less cylindrical and solid body, or centrum, which is surmounted dorsally by an arch, leaving an opening which forms a part of the canal containing the spinal cord. From this dorsal, or neural, arch spring various processes, or apophyses, which have received special names: a dorsal, or neural, spine, spinous process, or neurapophysis, on the middle of the arch; two anterior and two posterior articular processes, or zygapophyses; and one or two transverse processes on each side. In those vertebræ which bear well-developed ribs, a tubercle near the end of the rib articulates at a tubercular facet on the transverse process while the end, or head, of the rib articulates at a more ventral capitular facet which is sometimes developed into a second, or ventral, transverse process In vertebrates with well-developed hind limbs, the spinal column is divided into five regions in each of which the vertebræ are specially designated: those vertebræ in front of, or anterior to, the first vertebra which bears ribs connected with the sternum are cervical; all those which bear ribs and are back of the cervicals are dorsal; the one or more directly supporting the pelvis are sacral and form the sacrum; those between the sacral and dorsal are lumbar; and all those back of the sacral are caudal, or coccygeal. In man there are seven cervical vertebræ, twelve dorsal, five lumbar, five sacral, and usually four, but sometimes five and rarely three, coccygeal.

2. (Zoöl.) One of the central ossicles in each joint of the arms of an ophiuran.

Vertebral
(Ver"te*bral) a. [Cf. F. vertébral.]

1. (Anat.) Of or pertaining to a vertebræ, or the vertebral column; spinal; rachidian.

2. Vertebrate.

Vertebral
(Ver"te*bral), n. (Zoöl.) A vertebrate. [R.]

Vertebrally
(Ver"te*bral*ly), adv. (Anat.) At or within a vertebra or vertebræ; — distinguished from interverterbrally.

Vertebrarterial
(Ver`te*brar*te"ri*al) a. (Anat.) Of or pertaining to a vertebræ and an artery; — said of the foramina in the transverse processes of cervical vertebræ and of the canal which they form for the vertebral artery and vein.

Vertebrata
(||Ver`te*bra"ta) n. pl. [NL.] (Zoöl.) One of the grand divisions of the animal kingdom, comprising all animals that have a backbone composed of bony or cartilaginous vertebræ, together with Amphioxus in which the backbone is represented by a simple undivided notochord. The Vertebrata always have a dorsal, or neural, cavity above the notochord or backbone, and a ventral, or visceral, cavity below it. The subdivisions or classes of Vertebrata are Mammalia, Aves, Reptilia, Amphibia, Pisces, Marsipobranchia, and Leptocardia.

Vertebrate
(Ver"te*brate) n. (Zoöl.) One of the Vertebrata.