dorsal
1 Americanadjective
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of, relating to, or situated at the back, or dorsum.
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Anatomy, Zoology.
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situated on or toward the upper side of the body, equivalent to the back, or posterior, in humans.
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situated on or toward the posterior plane in humans or toward the upper plane in quadrupeds.
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Botany. pertaining to the surface away from the axis, as of a leaf; abaxial.
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Phonetics. (of a speech sound) articulated with the dorsum of the tongue.
noun
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Phonetics. a dorsal speech sound.
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Anatomy. a dorsal structure.
noun
adjective
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anatomy zoology relating to the back or spinal part of the body Compare ventral
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botany of, relating to, or situated on the side of an organ that is directed away from the axis
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articulated with the back of the tongue, as the (k) sound in English coot
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of dorsal
1535–45; < Medieval Latin dorsālis, equivalent to Latin dors ( um ) back + -ālis -al 1
Explanation
Dorsal is a word taken from anatomy (the study of the body) and refers to things that have to do with one's back. The movie "Jaws" should have been called "Dorsal Fin," because that's almost all you ever see of the famous shark. Like dolphins and sharks, killer whales have prominent dorsal fins on their backs, but it's the ones on their tails you'll want to watch out for. You may have wondered why dogs, cats, and other animals carry their young around by the scruff of their necks. Well, the little one's dorsal sides have extra fat and fur to grab onto. The dorsal side is much harder to damage than the underside (the ventral side) where you'll find their tender tummies and tasty organs.
Vocabulary lists containing dorsal
Animals (Zoology) - Introductory
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Unit 2: Evolution
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Animals (Zoology) - Middle School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
These overstimulated immune cells then move toward the dorsal root ganglia -- the sensory nerve hubs that link the limbs to the spinal cord -- and release inflammatory compounds that irritate and damage nerves.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 21, 2025
"A dorsal fin slowly broke the surface revealing that familiar profile that looked like a shark," he said.
From BBC ● May 16, 2025
With its long eel-like body, gaping mouth and bright red dorsal fins, it’s no surprise that the oarfish calls to mind a sea monster.
From Slate ● Nov. 22, 2024
Winter had put a life vest on the dog resembling a shark, with a dorsal fin protruding from its back.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2024
Its pernicious ghost—gray, furry and with unusually dense dorsal tufts—haunted every house that he ever lived in.
From "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
