ruggengraat

Dutch

Alternative forms

• ruggegraat (before 1996, superseded)
• ruggraat (archaic)

Etymology

Compound of rug +‎ -en- +‎ graat.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈrʏ.ɣəˌɣraːt/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: rug‧gen‧graat

Noun

ruggengraat f or m (plural ruggengraten, diminutive ruggengraatje n)

1. vertebral column

   Synonym: wervelkolom

2. spine, backbone
3. (figuratively) backbone, fundamental support, core of an organization