Midsagittal
/ˌmɪdˈsædʒɪtəl/noun
Relating to the median plane that divides the body into equal left and right halves.
Did you know?The second half comes from Latin *sagitta* (“arrow”), but in anatomy it refers to a line that shoots straight down the middle, not a weapon.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
sagitta
“arrow”
Medieval Latin
Latin
sagittalis
“of an arrow; arrow-shaped”
16th Century
Latin
sagittal
“arrow-shaped; in anatomy, pertaining to the median plane”
19th Century
English
midsagittal
“denoting the plane exactly in the middle of the body”
Modern English
English
midsagittal
“relating to the plane that divides the body into equal left and right halves”