adjective
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of or relating to space
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existing or happening in space
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of spatial
First recorded in 1840–50; from Latin spati(um) space + -al 1
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How does spatial compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
Spatial describes how objects fit together in space, either among the planets or down here on earth. There's a spatial relationship between Mars and Venus, as well as between the rose bushes in the backyard. Spatial has to do with the distance between things, so mathematicians and computer scientists love using the word. "They measured the spatial relations of ping-pong balls in the gravity-free room." It can also refer to how people perceive the objects in front of them. If you're not wearing your glasses, your spatial perception might be off. If you're a space cadet, you might wander off into space. Not surprisingly, spatial is from the Latin word spatium for "space."
Vocabulary lists containing spatial
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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G.1: Principles of Geography (Sources 1–14)
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Vocabulary Video Contest (2013) - List 1
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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.
In testing, the new antenna strengthened signals from targeted tissues, increased spatial resolution, improved image sharpness, and accelerated data collection.
From Science Daily • Jul. 10, 2026
"But are they responsible for selective spatial attention in humans? An exciting hypothesis is that they play a crucial role."
From Science Daily • Jun. 24, 2026
When he returned to America in 1789 he was no longer a cardboard architect but a spatial thinker.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 19, 2026
Some of the Vision Pro’s apps are made specially to take advantage of spatial computing, and, except for those that opted out, every iPad app is available on the platform.
From Barron's • Jun. 18, 2026
Such spatial realities require that densely populated regions support large and complexly organized societies.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
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.
