spini-|ˈspaɪnɪ|combining form of L. spīna spine, thorn (cf. spino-), used in various scientific terms, as spini-acute, spini-dentate, spini-tuberculateadjs.Mayne Expos.Lex. (1859) employs spinicerebral, spini-folious, spini-pede to translate corresponding Latin formations; recent Dicts. give a number of other combs., as spinicerebrate, spini-deltoid, spini-spirular, spini-spirulate, esp. anatomical terms relating to the spinal cord and some other part or organ, as spinibulbar, spini-cerebellar, spini-muscular, spini-peripheral, etc.1852Dana Crust. i. 323 Hand..spini-dentate on the lower margin.Ibid. 463 The carpus spini-tuberculate above and pilose.Ibid. 479 Anterior angles spini-acute.
spini-/ˈspʌɪni/combining form.
ORIGIN: from Latinspinaspine: see -i-.
Forming adjectives with ref. to (a) in Botany & Zoology, a spine or spines, as spinidentate, spinituberculate;(b) in Anatomy, the spinal column, or the spine of a bone, as spinirector, spinideltoid. Cf. spino-.