ventroposterior
|ven-tro-pos-te-ri-or|
🇺🇸
/ˌvɛn.troʊ.pɑˈstɪr.i.ɚ/
🇬🇧
/ˌvɛn.trəʊ.pɒˈstɪə.ri.ə/
ventral + posterior region
Etymology
'ventroposterior' is a compound formed in Modern English from Latin-derived elements: 'ventro-' from Latin 'ventrum' meaning 'belly' and 'posterior' from Latin 'posterus' meaning 'coming after' or 'behind'.
'ventroposterior' developed as a technical anatomical compound in modern anatomical and medical English by joining the prefix 'ventro-' with the adjective 'posterior'; it reflects the earlier Latin components 'ventrum' and 'posterus' and the long usage of those roots in anatomical terminology (via Medieval and Neo-Latin).
Originally the component roots referred separately to 'belly' and 'behind/after'; the compound came to be used specifically to denote a combined spatial orientation ('ventral and posterior') and then as a label for particular anatomical regions (for example, the ventroposterior nucleus of the thalamus).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
an anatomical structure or part referred to as the 'ventroposterior' (commonly used as shorthand for the ventroposterior nucleus of the thalamus or similar regions).
Damage to the ventroposterior can impair somatosensory processing.
Synonyms
Adjective 1
relating to, located toward, or describing the ventral (belly-side) and posterior (rear) region of an organ or structure; used especially in anatomical descriptions (e.g., the ventroposterior aspect of the thalamus).
The surgeon described the lesion as being in the ventroposterior region of the structure.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2026/01/09 05:26