dorsal

[ dawr-suhl ]

/ ˈdɔr səl /

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See synonyms for: dorsal / dorsals on Thesaurus.com

adjective

of, relating to, or situated at the back, or dorsum.

Anatomy, Zoology.

situated on or toward the upper side of the body, equivalent to the back, or posterior, in humans.
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.

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Origin of dorsal

1535–45; <Medieval Latin dorsālis, equivalent to Latin dors(um) back + -ālis-al¹

OTHER WORDS FROM dorsal

dor·sal·ly, adverb

Other definitions for dorsal (2 of 2)

dorsal²

[ dawr-suhl ]

/ ˈdɔr səl /

noun

dossal (def. 1).

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use dorsal in a sentence

A prominent triangular dorsal fin cuts the surface, the powerful rhythmically beating tail driving it silently through the cloudy green depths.
Basking shark families go on road trips in search of fine dining|The Conversation|December 31, 2020|Ars Technica
The dorsal, or backside, harbors neurons specially equipped to encode “facts.”
Towards ‘Eternal Sunshine’? New Links Found Between Memory and Emotion|Shelly Fan|July 28, 2020|Singularity Hub
Dorsally the origin is bounded by the base of the postorbital process and ventrally by the temporal process.
Jaw Musculature of the Mourning and White-winged Doves|Robert L. Merz
The high, narrow alary processes of the premaxillae extend dorsally about two-thirds of the height of the snout.
Systematic Status of a South American Frog, Allophryne ruthveni Gaige|John D. Lynch

The body is black dorsally and laterally, and bluish gray ventrally; the tail musculature is brown and stippled with darker brown.
The Amphibians and Reptiles of Michoacn, Mxico|William E. Duellman
The posterior nerve-rudiments form somewhat wedge-shaped masses of tissue attached dorsally to the spinal cord.
The Works of Francis Maitland Balfour, Volume 1|Francis Maitland Balfour
Though fairly wide below, it narrows dorsally before becoming continuous with the cavity in the vertebral plates.
The Works of Francis Maitland Balfour, Volume 1|Francis Maitland Balfour

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 forms of dorsal

dorsally, 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

Scientific definitions for dorsal

dorsal

[ dôr′səl ]

Relating to or on the back or upper surface of an animal.

dorsal

Origin of dorsal

OTHER WORDS FROM dorsal

Other definitions for dorsal (2 of 2)

Words related to dorsal

How to use dorsal in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for dorsal

Derived forms of dorsal

Word Origin for dorsal

Scientific definitions for dorsal