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.
This "extensive spatial overlap" amplifies the chances of collisions, said the paper, presented by University of Pretoria whale unit lead researcher Els Vermeulen.
From Barron's • May 11, 2026
He must simultaneously protect the cash machine that is the iPhone while finding the next platform — whether that’s spatial computing, health, automotive, or something that doesn’t yet have a name.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 21, 2026
Africa and Europe, and she has her own design studio, Felemaye, which she describes as “rooted in memory, material culture, and spatial intelligence.”
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026
But the movie itself isn’t exactly exploring new frontiers of fear, devolving instead into a familiar slasher-thriller with a climax of strained characterization and confusing spatial logic.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026
“No. That’s just what my family does. We’re scientists. Supposedly we’re going to be the world’s first spatial teleportation scientists.”
From "The First State of Being" by Erin Entrada Kelly
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.
