DORSAL

abaxial, dorsal

(adjective) facing away from the axis of an organ or organism; “the abaxial surface of a leaf is the underside or side facing away from the stem”

dorsal

(adjective) belonging to or on or near the back or upper surface of an animal or organ or part; “the dorsal fin is the vertical fin on the back of a fish and certain marine mammals”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Adjective

dorsal (comparative more dorsal, superlative most dorsal)

(anatomy) With respect to, or concerning the side in which the backbone is located, or the analogous side of an invertebrate.

(of a knife) Having only one sharp side.

(anatomy) Relating to the top surface of the foot or hand.

(linguistics, of a sound) Produced using the dorsum of the tongue.

(botany) Relating to the surface naturally inferior, as of a leaf.

(botany) Relating to the surface naturally superior, as of a creeping hepatic moss.

Antonyms

• ventral

Coordinate terms

• (linguistics): labial, coronal, radical, laryngeal

Noun

dorsal (plural dorsals)

(art) A hanging, usually of rich stuff, at the back of a throne, altar, etc.

In snakes, any of the longitudinal series of plates that encircle the body, excluding the ventral scales.

(linguistics) A sound produced using the dorsum of the tongue.

Anagrams

• lardos

Source: Wiktionary

Dor"sal, a. Etym: [F. dorsal, LL. dorsalis, fr. L. dorsualis, fr. dorsum back; cf. Gr. Dorse, Dorsel, Dosel.]

1. (Anat.)

Definition: Pertaining to, or situated near, the back, or dorsum, of an animal or of one of its parts; notal; tergal; neural; as, the dorsal fin of a fish; the dorsal artery of the tongue; -- opposed to ventral.

2. (Bot.) (a) Pertaining to the surface naturally inferior, as of a leaf. (b) Pertaining to the surface naturally superior, as of a creeping hepatic moss. Dorsal vessel (Zoöl.), a central pulsating blood vessel along the back of insects, acting as a heart.

Dor"sal, n. Etym: [LL. dorsale, neut. fr. dorsalis. See Dorsal, a.] (Fine Arts)

Definition: A hanging, usually of rich stuff, at the back of a throne, or of an altar, or in any similar position.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition