dorsal

Etymology

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.

adj

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.
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.

noun

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.