Meaning & use
dorsum
Last updated
The back or upper surface of an organism, organ, or structure, especially in anatomy.
See it in a sentence
The dorsum of the hand is the side opposite the palm.
Marine biologists examined ridges running along the dorsum of the whale shark.
A note on using this word
From Latin "dorsum," meaning back; the same root produces related words like "dorsal" and "endorse," which literally meant to write on the back of a document.
Words with a similar meaning
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