retinal

¹ American  

[ret-n-uhl] / ˈrɛt n əl /

adjective

1. of or relating to the retina of the eye.

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retinal ² American  

[ret-n-al, -awl] / ˈrɛt nˌæl, -ˌɔl /

Also retinene

noun

Biochemistry.

1. an orange pigment, C 2 0 H 2 8 O, that is the active component of rhodopsin and is liberated upon the absorption of light in the vision cycle; vitamin A aldehyde.

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Etymology

Origin of retinal¹

First recorded in 1830–40; retin(a) + -al ¹

Origin of retinal²

First recorded in 1940–45; retin(a) + -al ³

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

retinal

It could be particularly important for people with advanced retinal degeneration who currently have no effective treatment options.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 28, 2026

Understanding how retinal circuits process information could provide new insights into how other neural networks in the brain function.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 14, 2026

A few meters away, 60-year-old Jose Manuel Garcia, who is blind in one eye and undergoing treatment for retinal detachment to save the other, was seeking passage home to the city of Santiago de Cuba.

From Barron's ● Jun. 18, 2026

Kurt Gitter, a retinal surgeon and art collector, died March 25 at age 89; he was known for donating over 850 works to 23 institutions.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 23, 2026

We also have fingerprint, retinal, and DNA scans, and have to step through special metal detectors.

From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins