
Dorsum
In anatomy, the dorsum is the upper side of animals that typically run, fly, swim or crawl in a horizontal position, and the back side of animals that walk upright. In vertebrates the dorsum contains the backbone. The term dorsal refers to anatomical structures that are either situated toward or grow off that side of an animal. The opposite side of the animal is described with the terms ventrum and ventral. I…
Anatomical terms of location
Standard anatomical terms of location deal unambiguously with the anatomy of animals, including humans. All vertebrates (including humans) have the same basic body plan — they are bilaterally symmetrical. That is, they have mirror-image left and right halves if divided down the centre. For these reasons, the basic directional terms can be considered to be those used in vertebrates.
Full Answer
What is the difference between dorsal and ventral?
Mar 14, 2022 · Dorsal (from Latin dorsum meaning “back”) refers to the body region/”side” opposite that of ventral (and typically called the “back”). Sometimes anterior/posterior would be synonymous with ventral/dorsal, as is the case in humans or other bipedal organisms.
What does dorsal mean in human anatomy?
What is meant by dorsal side? The dorsal (from Latin dorsum, meaning 'back') surface of an organism refers to the back, or upper side, of an organism. If talking about the skull, the dorsal side is the top. For example, in a fish the pectoral fins are dorsal to the anal fin, but ventral to the dorsal fin. Click to see full answer.
Does dorsal mean posterior?
The anatomical position of a human body is defined as a body standing upright with the head facing forward, arms down at the sides with the palms turned forward, and feet parallel facing forward. On a human body, dorsal (i.e., posterior) refers to the back portion of the body, whereas ventral (i.e., anterior) refers to the front part of the body.
What is the dorsal part of the body?
Apr 30, 2020 · The dorsal (from Latin dorsum, meaning 'back') surface of an organism refers to the back, or upper side, of an organism. If talking about the skull, the dorsal side is the top. For example, in a fish the pectoral fins are dorsal to the anal fin, but ventral to the dorsal fin.

Which side is dorsal in human?
backPosterior or dorsal - back (example, the shoulder blades are located on the posterior side of the body). Medial - toward the midline of the body (example, the middle toe is located at the medial side of the foot).
What is the meaning of dorsal and ventral side?
The dorsal surface of an organism refers to the back, or upper side, of an organism. If talking about the skull, the dorsal side is the top. The ventral (from Latin venter, meaning 'belly') surface refers to the front, or lower side, of an organism.
What is meant by ventral side?
1 : of or relating to the belly : abdominal. 2a : being or located near, on, or toward the lower surface of an animal (as a quadruped) opposite the back or dorsal surface. b : being or located near, on, or toward the front or anterior part of the human body. More from Merriam-Webster on ventral.
What is dorsal and examples?
The definition of dorsal is something related to the back or the upper side of a plant or animal. The fin on a shark's back is an example of something that would be described as dorsal. adjective. 2. (botany) Of or on the surface of an organ or part facing away from the axis; abaxial.
Where is the dorsal?
backOn a human body, dorsal (i.e., posterior) refers to the back portion of the body, whereas ventral (i.e., anterior) refers to the front part of the body. The terms dorsal and ventral are also often used to describe the relative location of a body part.
Where is the posterior?
backPosterior (or dorsal) Describes the back or direction toward the back of the body.
What is the difference between dorsal and posterior?
Anterior (or ventral) Describes the front or direction toward the front of the body. The toes are anterior to the foot. Posterior (or dorsal) Describes the back or direction toward the back of the body.
Is Skin dorsal or ventral?
0:279:06Body Cavities and Membranes (Dorsal, Ventral) - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipTerms you'll know that ventral or anterior. Means toward the front of the body and dorsal orMoreTerms you'll know that ventral or anterior. Means toward the front of the body and dorsal or posterior means toward the back of the body.
Where is the distal?
Distal refers to sites located away from a specific area, most often the center of the body. In medicine, it refers to parts of the body further away from the center. For example, the hand is distal to the shoulder. The thumb is distal to the wrist.Jan 28, 2021
What is dorsal side of arm?
0:062:32Anatomy Of The Radial & Dorsal Side Of Forearm - Dr. Nabil EbraheimYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnatomy of the radial and the dorsal side of the forearm. There are 12 muscles arranged into threeMoreAnatomy of the radial and the dorsal side of the forearm. There are 12 muscles arranged into three groups three on the radial. Side superficial four in the dorsal. Side superficial.
What is the dorsal foot?
The dorsum of foot is the area facing upwards while standing.
What is ventral surface?
Ventral: Pertaining to the front or anterior of any structure. The ventral surfaces of the body include the chest, abdomen, shins, palms, and soles. Ventral is as opposed to dorsal. From the Latin "venter" meaning belly.Mar 29, 2021
What is dorsal and ventral?
Dorsal and ventral are paired anatomical terms used to describe opposite locations on a body that is in the anatomical position. The anatomical pos...
What is the difference between dorsal and ventral?
The main difference between dorsal and ventral is the area of the body to which they refer. In general, ventral refers to the front of the body, an...
What are the dorsal and ventral body cavities?
The dorsal and ventral body cavities, two of the largest body compartments in humans, are anatomical spaces that contain various organs and other s...
What are the most important facts to know about dorsal and ventral?
Dorsal and ventral are terms that refer, respectively, to the back and front portions of the human body in the anatomical position. These terms can...
What is the opposite of dorsal?
"Dorsal" can be used of non-living things too (in particular, the backs of airplanes), as can its opposite, "ventral," which means "relating to the belly." "Dorsal" descends from Latin "dorsum" ("back"), which also gave us "dossier" (via French, for a bundle of documents labeled on the back) and "reredos" ("an
Do humans have a dorsal?
Dorsal (from Latin dorsum meaning "back") refers to the body region/"side" opposite that of ventral (and typically called the "back"). Sometimes anterior/posterior would be synonymous with ventral/dorsal, as is the case in humans or other bipedal organisms.
What is the dorsal part of the body?
Anterior or ventral - front (example, the kneecap is located on the anterior side of the leg). Posterior or dorsal - back (example, the shoulder blades are located on the posterior side of the body). Medial - toward the midline of the body (example, the middle toe is located at the medial side of the foot).
Where is the dorsal part of the body?
The dorsal body cavity is located along the dorsal (posterior) surface of the human body, where it is subdivided into the cranial cavity housing the brain and the spinal cavity housing the spinal cord.
What does dorsal mean in biology?
Definition. adjective. (1) (anatomy) Of, toward, in, on, or near the back (or any analogous bodily reference) of an organism. (2) (zoology) Of, or pertaining to, the dorsum. (3) (botany) Of or on the surface away from the axis; abaxial.
What is the root of the word dorsal?
dorsal (adj.) in anatomy, "of or pertaining to the back," late 14c., from Old French dorsal (14c.) or directly from Medieval Latin dorsalis, corresponding to Latin dorsualis "of the back," from dorsum "back," which is of uncertain origin. Related: Dorsally.
What is sagittal view?
Sagittal: A vertical plane passing through the standing body from front to back. The mid-sagital, or median, plane splits the body into left and right halves. For a more complete listing of terms used in medicine for spatial orientation, please see the entry to "Anatomic Orientation Terms".
What is the ventral cavity?
On the anterior side of the body, the ventral cavity is made up of the thoracic cavity, abdominal cavity, and pelvic cavity. The thoracic cavity contains the heart, lungs, breast tissue, thymus gland, and blood vessels. Inside the abdominal cavity are the stomach, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, small intestine, colon, appendix, and kidneys.
What is the ventral cavity of the small intestine?
For example, one could say, “The small intestine is ventral to the kidneys”, which means the small intestine is in front of the kidneys. These anatomical terms can also describe different body cavities. The dorsal cavity contains the spinal cord, central nervous system, and spinal column, whereas the ventral cavity consists of the thoracic, ...
What are the dorsal and ventral cavities?
What are the dorsal and ventral body cavities? The dorsal and ventral body cavities, two of the largest body compartments in humans, are anatomical spaces that contain various organs and other structures. The dorsal cavity lies close to the spine in the posterior portion of the body. The dorsal cavity contains the spinal column, ...
What are the most important facts about dorsal and ventral?
What are the most important facts to know about dorsal and ventral? Dorsal and ventral are terms that refer, respectively, to the back and front portions of the human body in the anatomical position. These terms can also be referred to as posterior and anterior surfaces.
What is the difference between ventral and dorsal?
In general, ventral refers to the front of the body, and dorsal refers to the back. These terms are also known as anterior and posterior, respectively.
What is the paired anatomical term for the ventral and dorsal?
The anatomical position of a human body is defined as a body standing upright with the head facing forward, arms down at the sides with the palms turned forward, and feet parallel facing forward.
What is the ventral location of the stomach?
For example, the stomach is ventral to the spinal cord, which means that the stomach is located in front of the spinal cord.
What is the difference between dorsal and ventral?
The main difference between dorsal and ventral is that dorsal refers to the back or upper side of an organism whereas ventral refers to the front or lower side . These are two anatomical terms used to describe the location of structures of the body in anatomy and embryology. In humans, the dorsal side refers to the posterior side while ...
What is the opposite of a ventral?
Ventral – Definition, Anatomical Location, Significance. ‘Ventral’ is the opposite anatomical term to the ‘dorsal’ and it describes anatomical structures located towards the stomach of the body. Therefore, it refers to the structures located at the lower side of the body. Similarly, this term comes from the Latin word for ‘belly’, which is “venter”.
What is the meaning of the word "dorsal"?
Dorsal – Definition, Anatomical Location, Significance. ‘Dorsal’ is the anatomical term that describes the structures located towards the back of the body. Also, it refers to the anatomical structures located at the upper side of the body. Moreover, this term comes from the Latin word for ‘back’, which is “dorsum”.
Where are ventral structures located?
While dorsal structures are located in the opposite direction to the stomach, ventral structures are located in the direction of the stomach.
Where does the word "ventral" come from?
Similarly, this term comes from the Latin word for ‘belly’, which is “venter”. Moreover, in humans, the term ‘ventral gives a similar meaning to the term ‘anterior. For example, the human eye is located ventral to the brain. In other words, it is located at the anterior side of the head.
