'Dorsal' definitions:

Definition of 'dorsal'

From: WordNet
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" [ant: ventral]
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" [syn: abaxial, dorsal] [ant: adaxial, ventral]

Definition of 'Dorsal'

From: GCIDE
  • Dorsal \Dor"sal\, n. [LL. dorsale, neut. fr. dorsalis. See Dorsal, a.] (Fine Arts) A hanging, usually of rich stuff, at the back of a throne, or of an altar, or in any similar position. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Dorsal'

From: GCIDE
  • Dorsal \Dor"sal\, a. [F. dorsal, LL. dorsalis, fr. L. dorsualis, fr. dorsum back; cf. Gr. ?, ?, mountain ridge. Cf. Dorse, Dorsel, Dosel.]
  • 1. (Anat.) 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. [1913 Webster]
  • 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. [1913 Webster]
  • Dorsal vessel (Zool.), a central pulsating blood vessel along the back of insects, acting as a heart. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'dorsal'

From: GCIDE
  • Posterior \Pos*te"ri*or\ (p[o^]s*t[=e]"r[i^]*[~e]r), a. [L. posterior, compar. of posterus coming after, from post after. See Post-.]
  • 1. Later in time; hence, later in the order of proceeding or moving; coming after; -- opposed to prior. [1913 Webster]
  • Hesiod was posterior to Homer. --Broome. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. Situated behind; hinder; -- opposed to anterior. [1913 Webster]
  • 3. (Anat.) At or toward the caudal extremity; caudal; -- in human anatomy often used for dorsal. [1913 Webster]
  • 4. (Bot.) On the side next the axis of inflorescence; -- said of an axillary flower. --Gray. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'dorsal'

From: GCIDE
  • Neural \Neu"ral\, a. [Gr. ney^ron nerve.] (Anat. & Zool.) relating to the nerves or nervous system; taining to, situated in the region of, or on the side with, the neural, or cerebro-spinal, axis; -- opposed to hemal. As applied to vertebrates, neural is the same as dorsal; as applied to invertebrates it is usually the same as ventral. Cf. Hemal. [1913 Webster]
  • Neural arch (Anat.), the cartilaginous or bony arch on the dorsal side of the centrum of the vertebra in a segment of the spinal skeleton, usually inclosing a segment of the spinal cord. [1913 Webster]