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dorsal

[dawr-suhl]

Example Sentences Origin

adjective

of, pertaining to, or situated at the back, or dorsum.

Anatomy, Zoology.

situated on or toward the upper side of the body, equivalent to the back, or posterior, in humans.

situated on or toward the posterior plane in humans or toward the upper plane in quadrupeds.

Botany. pertaining to the surface away from the axis, as of a leaf; abaxial.

Phonetics. (of a speech sound) articulated with the dorsum of the tongue.

noun

Phonetics. a dorsal speech sound.

Anatomy. a dorsal structure.

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Dorsal is always a great word to know.

So is nerve root. Does it mean:

a nerve fiber bundle that emerges from of the spinal cord and joins with another bundle to form each spinal nerve in the series of spinal nerves

either of two flat, triangular bones, each forming the back part of a shoulder; a shoulder blade

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Origin:
1535–45; < Medieval Latin dorsālis, equivalent to Latin dors(um) back + -ālis -al¹

Related forms

dor·sal·ly, adverb

Example Sentences

With a small, sharp knife, cut under the dorsal fin from rear to front.

Subspecies of this striking sea star are identified by differences in the plates that cover their dorsal side.

In suicide victims, the dorsal raphe nucleus sends less than normal amounts of serotonin to the orbital prefrontal cortex.

EXPAND

With a small, sharp knife, cut under the dorsal fin from rear to front.

Subspecies of this striking sea star are identified by differences in the plates that cover their dorsal side.

In suicide victims, the dorsal raphe nucleus sends less than normal amounts of serotonin to the orbital prefrontal cortex.

On one occasion, she grabbed the skin under a whale shark's first dorsal fin as it cruised by.

Many dolphins have a pronounced beak and all have a central dorsal fin and sharp teeth for feeding, mainly on squid and fish.

Their extra-tall, pointed dorsal fins are easily identifiable.

The fish's venom glands are next to sharp spines on the edges of the dorsal and pectoral fins.

It also has a thick layer of blubber and no dorsal fin so it can swim easily under the ice.

For millions of beachgoers, the sight of a dorsal fin sticking out of the water means a shark with one thing on its mind: prey.

Its ilium is distinctive, being dorsally convex in profile and with a thick dorsal margin.

The varicella virus also travels to nerve cells called dorsal root ganglia.

The ray's dorsal side, invisible in this image, is covered with a signature pattern of vivid spots.

These spaghetti-type tags are inserted under the dorsal fin.

They often hunt in groups and use their quickness and impressive dorsal fins to herd schools of sardines or anchovies.

Work from the dorsal and ventral sides into the center to cut serving-size fillets.

The nickname arises from its tendency to swim close to the surface, raising its dorsal fin above the water.

Behind us, dolphins rolled in our wake, flashing dorsal fins the color of a baby's bottom.

In addition, the prehistoric fish had one long dorsal fin, whereas many lampreys today have more.

Fink has located the mark of character on the dorsal side.

Their compact size and lack of dorsal fins aid travel beneath the ice.

The program identifies individual dolphins based on photographs of their dorsal fins, which have characteristic nicks and notches.

Their wispy dorsal fins contain toxin-filled needles used to dissuade would-be predators.

Narwhals have tusks and lack dorsal fins, and the mechanical narwhals built for the film are fairly agile.

Their backs were battleship gray topped with a saw-toothed line of small yellow dorsal fins.

The dorsal fin of the totem pole's killer whale sticks straight out.

It closes on the dorsal fin, so the camera rides along on the fin filming out over the shark's head.

En cada lado de su aleta dorsal tiene un círculo negro que parece ser un ojo.

The dorsal fin of the trout made a tiny wake on the.

Each type is distinguished by dorsal fin shape, diet, and even language.

They can even retract their dorsal and pectoral fins into slots to reduce drag.

But the dorsal fin and long sickle tail sliding off a wave or coming up behind a distant outrigger bait was usually an illusion.

Stick together and let that dorsal fin shine on the sunlit surface of greed and avarice.

Each forward rush is punctuated by a startling flare of the dorsal fin, which more than doubles the hunter's profile.

The crew will take measurements and attach a tracking antenna to the dorsal fin before returning it to the water unharmed.

Then if the shark is large enough, we'll attach a satellite tag via a tether below the dorsal fin in the shark's shoulder.

They stand out so clearly here, with their glowing white backs and tiny dorsal fins arching in the silver water.

COLLAPSE

Dictionary.com Unabridged

noun

dossal (def. 1).

Link To dorsal

Collins

World English Dictionary

dorsal (ˈdɔːs^əl)

—*adj*
1.	anatomy, zoology Compare ventral relating to the back or spinal part of the body
2.	botany of, relating to, or situated on the side of an organ that is directed away from the axis
3.	articulated with the back of the tongue, as the (k) sound in English coot

[C15: from Medieval Latin dorsālis, from Latin dorsum back]

'dorsally

—*adv*

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
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Etymonline

Word Origin & History

dorsal

1540s, from M.Fr. dorsal, from L.L. dorsalis, from L. dorsualis "of the back," from dorsum "back," of uncertain origin.

American Heritage

Medical Dictionary

dorsal dor·sal (dôr'səl)
adj.