ðɪ ɑːɹtˈɪkjʊlɚ pɹˈɑːsɛsᵻz ɔːɹ zˈaɪɡɐpəfˌaɪzᵻz ɡɹˈiːk zˈiːɾəˈʊpsɪlənɡˈæməˈoʊmɪkɹənnjˈuː ˈiːkwəlz "jˈoʊk" bɪkˈʌz ɪt lˈɪŋks tˈuː vˈɜːɾɪbɹˌiː plˈʌs ˈælfəpˈaɪˈoʊmɪkɹˌɑːn ˈiːkwəlz "ɐwˈeɪ" plˈʌs fˈaɪˈʊpsɪlənsˈɪɡməaɪˈoʊɾəsˈɪɡmə ˈiːkwəlz "pɹˈɑːsɛs"əvə vˈɜːɾɪbɹə ɑːɹ pɹədʒˈɛkʃənz ʌvðə vˈɜːɾɪbɹə ðæt sˈɜːv ðə pˈɜːpəs ʌv fˈɪɾɪŋ wɪð ɐn ɐdʒˈeɪsənt vˈɜːɾɪbɹə.
The articular processes or zygapophyses (Greek ζυγον = "yoke" (because it links two vertebrae) + απο = "away" + φυσις = "process") of a vertebra are projections of the vertebra that serve the purpose of fitting with an adjacent vertebra.