Dorsal
/ˈdɔːr.səl/noun
Relating to the back or upper surface of an organism.
Did you know?In ancient medicine, the back was believed to be a portal to hidden energies, linking the physical to the spiritual.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*dors-
“to the back, rear”
Latin
Latin
dorsalis
“of the back, relating to the back”
Old French
Old French
dorsal
“pertaining to the back”
14th Century
Middle English
dorsal
“of or belonging to the back”
Modern English
English
dorsal
“describing the upper side of an animal or organ, especially in anatomy.”