English edit

Alternative forms edit

Etymology edit

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.

Pronunciation edit

Adjective edit

dorsal (comparative more dorsal, superlative most dorsal)

  1. (anatomy, zootomy) With respect to, or concerning the side in which the backbone is located, or the analogous side of an invertebrate.
    1. (anatomy) Relating to the top surface of the foot or hand.
    2. (linguistics, of a sound) Produced using the dorsum of the tongue.
      Coordinate terms: coronal, labial, laryngeal, radical
  2. (of a knife) Having only one sharp side.
  3. (botany) Relating to the surface naturally inferior, as of a leaf.
  4. (botany) Relating to the surface naturally superior, as of a creeping hepatic moss.

Antonyms edit

Coordinate terms edit

Derived terms edit

Related terms edit

Translations edit

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Noun edit

 
Dorsal at the Church of England parish church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Weston-on-the-Green, Oxfordshire.

dorsal (plural dorsals)

  1. (art) A hanging, usually of rich stuff, at the back of a throne, altar, etc.
  2. (zootomy, in snakes) Any of the longitudinal series of plates that encircle the body, excluding the ventral scales.
  3. (linguistics) A sound produced using the dorsum of the tongue.

References edit

Anagrams edit

Catalan edit

Etymology edit

From dors +‎ -al.

Adjective edit

dorsal m or f (masculine and feminine plural dorsals)

  1. rear
  2. (anatomy, linguistics) dorsal

Derived terms edit

Noun edit

dorsal m (plural dorsals)

  1. backplate (of a cuirass)
  2. (zoology) shell, elytron
  3. (sports) number

Noun edit

dorsal f (plural dorsals)

  1. (meteorology) ridge
    Antonym: tàlveg
  2. (geomorphology) ridge (on the ocean floor)

Derived terms edit

Further reading edit

French edit

 
French Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia fr

Etymology edit

Inherited from Old French, from Latin dorsum with adjective-forming suffix -al.

Pronunciation edit

Adjective edit

dorsal (feminine dorsale, masculine plural dorsaux, feminine plural dorsales)

  1. dorsal

Derived terms edit

Descendants edit

  • Dutch: dorsaal

Further reading edit

German edit

Pronunciation edit

Adjective edit

dorsal (strong nominative masculine singular dorsaler, not comparable)

  1. dorsal

Declension edit

Interlingua edit

Adjective edit

dorsal (not comparable)

  1. dorsal

Portuguese edit

Pronunciation edit

 
 

  • Rhymes: (Portugal) -al, (Brazil) -aw
  • Hyphenation: dor‧sal

Adjective edit

dorsal m or f (plural dorsais, not comparable)

  1. (anatomy) dorsal (of the back)
  2. (anatomy) dorsal (of the top surface of a hand or foot)

Derived terms edit

Noun edit

dorsal f (plural dorsais)

  1. (geology) ridge
    Synonym: dorsal oceânica
  2. (linguistics) dorsal

Romanian edit

Etymology edit

Borrowed from French dorsal.

Adjective edit

dorsal m or n (feminine singular dorsală, masculine plural dorsali, feminine and neuter plural dorsale)

  1. dorsal

Declension edit

Spanish edit

Etymology edit

From Latin dorsālis.

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): /doɾˈsal/ [d̪oɾˈsal]
  • Rhymes: -al
  • Syllabification: dor‧sal

Adjective edit

dorsal m or f (masculine and feminine plural dorsales)

  1. (anatomy) dorsal

Derived terms edit

Noun edit

dorsal m (plural dorsales)

  1. ridge

Derived terms edit

Related terms edit

Further reading edit