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definitions

dorsal

1
[ dawr-suh l ]
/ ˈdɔr səl /
|
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR dorsal ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

of, relating to, or situated at the back, or dorsum.
Anatomy, Zoology.
  1. situated on or toward the upper side of the body, equivalent to the back, or posterior, in humans.
  2. situated on or toward the posterior plane in humans or toward the upper plane in quadrupeds.
Compare ventral(def 2).
Botany. pertaining to the surface away from the axis, as of a leaf; abaxial.
Phonetics. (of a speech sound) articulated with the dorsum of the tongue.

noun

Phonetics. a dorsal speech sound.
Anatomy. a dorsal structure.

RELATED WORDS

behind, last, back, hind, hinder, reverse, rearward, posterior, tail, stern, following, postern, mizzen, hand, vane, appendage, pinna, stabilizer, flipper, airfoil

Nearby words

  1. dorper,
  2. dorr,
  3. dorr's rebellion,
  4. dors-,
  5. dorsad,
  6. dorsal artery of clitoris,
  7. dorsal artery of foot,
  8. dorsal artery of nose,
  9. dorsal artery of penis,
  10. dorsal column of spinal cord

Origin of dorsal

1
1535–45; < Medieval Latin dorsālis, equivalent to Latin dors(um) back + -ālis -al1
Related formsdor·sal·ly, adverb

dorsal

2
[ dawr-suh l ]
/ ˈdɔr səl /

noun

dossal(def 1).
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for dorsal

British Dictionary definitions for dorsal

dorsal

/ (ˈdɔːsəl) /

adjective

anatomy zoology relating to the back or spinal part of the bodyCompare ventral (def. 1)
botany of, relating to, or situated on the side of an organ that is directed away from the axis
articulated with the back of the tongue, as the (k) sound in English coot
Derived Formsdorsally, adverb

Word Origin for dorsal

C15: from Medieval Latin dorsālis, from Latin dorsum back
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
Word Origin and History for dorsal

dorsal

adj.

1540s, from Middle French dorsal (14c.), from Late Latin dorsalis, corresponding to Latin dorsualis "of the back," from dorsum "back," of uncertain origin.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Medicine definitions for dorsal

dorsal

[ dôr′səl ]

adj.

Of, toward, on, in, or near the back or upper surface of an organ, a part, or an organism.
Lying on the back; supine.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Science definitions for dorsal

dorsal

[ dôr′səl ]

Relating to or on the back or upper surface of an animal.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.