dorsal
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dorsal
- /ˈdɔː.səl/ UK
- /ˈdɔː.sl̩/ UK
- /ˈdɔɹ.səl/ US
Rhymes with -ɔː(ɹ)səl
Where it comes from
From Late Middle English dorsal/dorsale, borrowing from Medieval Latin dorsālis (“of or relating to the back”), from dorsum (“the back”) + -ālis (“-al”, adjectival suffix); equivalent to dorsum + -al.
adjective more dorsal · most dorsal · dossal
- Relating to the top surface of the foot or hand.
- Produced using the dorsum of the tongue.
- Having only one sharp side.
- Relating to the surface naturally inferior, as of a leaf.
- Relating to the surface naturally superior, as of a creeping hepatic moss.
Opposite: ventral
noun dorsals · dossal
-
A hanging, usually of rich stuff, at the back of a throne, altar, etc.
Near-synonyms: altar screen, rood screen (not always different)
Similar: altar screen, rood screen
- Any of the longitudinal series of plates that encircle the body, excluding the ventral scales.
- A sound produced using the dorsum of the tongue.
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: abaxial, ridge, spine, backbone, two, back-end, rise, back, protector, arrest, hindmost, backmost, rear, posterior, hind, top
adjective
Opposite: ventral
Translations
Every language
adj relating to the side in which the backbone is located
| Español | dorsal |
|---|---|
| 中文 | 背側 /背侧 bèicè |
| Português | dorsal |
| Français | dorsal |
| Deutsch | Rücken-, dorsal |
| Italiano | dorsale |
| Română | dorsal |
| Русский | спинно́й spinnój, дорса́льный dorsálʹnyj, хребе́тный xrebétnyj |
| العربية | ظَهْرِيّ ẓahriyy |
adj relating to the top surface of foot or hand
| 中文 | 背側 /背侧 bèicè |
|---|---|
| Português | dorsal |
| Русский | ты́льный týlʹnyj |
adj produced using the dorsum of the tongue
| Deutsch | dorsal |
|---|---|
| Română | dorsal |
| Русский | среднеязы́чный srednejazýčnyj, дорса́льный dorsálʹnyj |
adj having only one sharp side
| Русский | единоо́стрый jedinoóstryj |
|---|
Talk about this word "dorsal." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/dorsal. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. dorsal. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/dorsal "dorsal." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/dorsal.Cite this
@misc{dorsal_2026,
title = {dorsal},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/dorsal},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
