spinal tap

noun

: lumbar puncture

Examples of spinal tap in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
For decades the only way to know that was a PET scan or a spinal tap, which meant most people never found out at all. — Sue Peschin, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026 Also called a spinal tap, a lumbar puncture involves using a syringe to withdraw a sample of cerebrospinal fluid from the lower back, per Mayo Clinic. — Cara Lynn Shultz, PEOPLE, 31 July 2026 Sorweid noted that results typically return within a couple of weeks, far faster than a spinal tap or amyloid PET scan, which can take months to schedule. — Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 25 July 2026 In some cases, doctors may also measure levels of a specific brain chemical through a lumbar puncture or spinal tap. — Daryl Austin, USA Today, 8 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for spinal tap

Word History

First Known Use

1947, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of spinal tap was in 1947

Rhymes for spinal tap

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Browse Nearby Words

spinal nerve
spinal tap
spin around
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Cite this Entry

“Spinal tap.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spinal%20tap. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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Medical Definition

spinal tap

noun
: lumbar puncture

More from Merriam-Webster on spinal tap

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about spinal tap

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