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distal

[ dis-tl ]
/ ˈdɪs tl /
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adjective
situated away from the point of origin or attachment, as of a limb or bone; terminal.Compare proximal.
Dentistry. directed away from the sagittal plane or midline of the face, along the dental arch.Compare buccal (def. 3), mesial (def. 2).

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Origin of distal

First recorded in 1800–10; dist(ant) + -al1

OTHER WORDS FROM distal

dis·tal·ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use distal in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for distal

distal
/ (ˈdɪstəl) /

adjective
anatomy (of a muscle, bone, limb, etc) situated farthest from the centre, median line, or point of attachment or originCompare proximal

Derived forms of distal

distally, adverb

Word Origin for distal

C19: from distant + -al 1
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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