frontal
Americanadjective
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of, in, or at the front.
a frontal view; frontal attack.
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Anatomy.
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of, relating to, or situated near the forehead or the frontal bone.
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Meteorology. of or relating to the division between dissimilar air masses.
frontal zone; frontal surface.
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Fine Arts.
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exhibiting frontality.
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parallel to the surface in the pictorial arts or seen from the front view in sculpture.
the frontal plane.
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noun
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Ecclesiastical. a movable cover or hanging for the front of an altar.
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Anatomy. any of several parts in the frontal region, especially the frontal bone.
adjective
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of, at, or in the front
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of or relating to the forehead
frontal artery
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of or relating to the anterior part of a body or organ
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meteorol of, relating to, or resulting from a front or its passage
frontal rainfall
noun
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a decorative hanging for the front of an altar
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another name for frontlet
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of frontal
1275–1325; < Late Latin frontālis ( New Latin, in anatomy sense); replacing Middle English frountel < Old French frontel. See front, -al 1
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.
The frontal lobes play an important role in planning, decision-making, and other executive functions, while the occipital lobes are central to visual processing.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 21, 2026
As recently as 2018, Kennedy held off a frontal assault on Sosa, preserving its core holding.
From Slate ● Jun. 24, 2026
Also, having large frontal areas with an open cargo bed, the typical pickup design generates high aerodynamic drag, a factor that increases consumption proportional to the square of the velocity.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 20, 2026
The abundance of E. coli, Coprococcus comes, and Eubacterium hallii was negatively associated with activity in the brain's left orbital inferior frontal gyrus, a region involved in executive function and willpower during weight loss.
From Science Daily ● May 31, 2026
Like most mothers, she wielded tremendous power and my staunch resolve would crumble like a sandcastle before her frontal assaults, which were like tidal waves.
From "The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother" by James McBride
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.
