anterior-dorsal
|an-te-ri-or-dor-sal|
🇺🇸
/ˌæn.tɪəˈdɔr.səl/
🇬🇧
/ˌæn.tɪəˈdɔː.səl/
front-and-back position (front + back)
Etymology
'anterior-dorsal' is a modern compound formed in English from 'anterior' and 'dorsal'. 'Anterior' ultimately derives from Latin 'anterior', comparative of 'ante' meaning 'before/front', and 'dorsal' comes from Latin 'dorsum' meaning 'back'.
'anterior' passed into Middle English via Latin (and Old French influence) as 'anterior' meaning 'more toward the front'; 'dorsal' comes from Medieval Latin 'dorsalis' (from 'dorsum') meaning 'of the back'. The compound 'anterodorsal' / 'anterior-dorsal' developed in scientific and anatomical usage in modern English to name combined positional descriptors.
Individually, 'anterior' meant 'toward the front' and 'dorsal' meant 'of the back'; combined as 'anterior-dorsal' the term evolved to denote a position that simultaneously relates to both the anterior and dorsal aspects of a structure.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
situated at or relating to an area that is both anterior (toward the front) and dorsal (toward the back/dorsum) of an organism or structure; describing a position combining anterior and dorsal aspects.
The lesion was located in the anterior-dorsal region of the wing.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2026/01/09 05:34