spatial

[ spey-shuhl ]

adjective

1. of or relating to space, the three-dimensional realm or expanse in which all material objects are located and all events occur.
2. existing or occurring in space; having extension in space.

spatial

/ ˈspeɪʃəl; ˌspeɪʃɪˈælɪtɪ /

adjective

1. of or relating to space
2. existing or happening in space

Derived Forms

• ˈspatially, adverb
• spatiality, noun

Other Words From

• spa·ti·al·i·ty [spey-shee-, al, -i-tee], noun
• spa·tial·ly adverb
• non·spa·tial adjective
• non·spa·ti·al·i·ty noun
• qua·si-spa·tial adjective
• un·spa·tial adjective
• un·spa·ti·al·i·ty noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of spatial¹

First recorded in 1840–50; from Latin spati(um) space + -al ¹

Example Sentences

Still, Akin has done an exceptional job of making sense of the spatial limitations.

From Fortune

The pixels were sampled in adjacent groups called “n-tuples” to account for the spatial relations among them.

From Nautilus

Next, the team played around with the light probes, so that they hit each glomeruli in a slightly different time and spatial pattern—think changing light strobes from a disco ball, but more systematic and controlled.

From Singularity Hub 

Because different spatial patterns of light can be tuned to activate the bioink differently, both within a layer and between layers, the team decided to play with light-triggered bioprinting.

From Singularity Hub 

Paul wanted to combine player data from wearable devices with spatial information from game videos.

From Science News For Students

This spatial displacement reveals your thirst for freedom, your desire for openness and to break with the protest novel.

From The Daily Beast

Get Smarter—Play a brain game at Brain Turk and improve your memory, attention, and spatial reasoning.

From The Daily Beast

His playful geometric and spatial derivations are translations of some of the most basic and beautiful laws of language.

From The Daily Beast

The element they have in common, Howie tells The Daily Beast, is “the use of spatial limits to intensify desire.”

From The Daily Beast

So, among other things, claustrophilia might be a name for wanting to be reminded of the body through spatial constraints.

From The Daily Beast

His interest was all in organs, in functioning parts, not in the mere spatial relationship of parts.

From Project Gutenberg

"I call the type the spatial relationship of the organic elements and organs" (p. 208).

From Project Gutenberg

Spatial Housing Authority requires them every 12 feet but sometimes they come in handy, especially with certain guests.

From Project Gutenberg

These sensations would not seem to us to have any spatial character and we should not seek to localize them.

From Project Gutenberg

The impersonal time of the philosophers and scientists is merely the spatial symbol of duration.

From Project Gutenberg