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Meaning & use

ventral

adjective·Advancedtechnicalbiology

Last updated

UK/ˈventrəl/
US/ˈventrəl/

Meanings

  1. adjectivebefore a nounbiology

    Of or on the belly side of an animal, the side opposite the back.

    Grammar: Before a noun: the ventral surface.

    Patterns

    • the ventral side of something

    The fish has a pale ventral surface.

    A ventral fin sits near the belly.

    Doctors examine the ventral side of the body.

  2. adjectivebefore a nounmedical

    Relating to the front of the human body in anatomy.

    Grammar: Medical: ventral nerve.

    Patterns

    • ventral to something

    The scan shows a ventral hernia.

    The heart lies ventral to the spine.

    The ventral root carries signals out.

Common combinations

ventral side
The ventral side of the frog is lighter.
ventral surface
Dissect the ventral surface first.
ventral fin
The shark has a ventral fin.
ventral hernia
A ventral hernia requires surgery.
ventral view
The diagram shows a ventral view.

Synonyms and how they differ

abdominal
Abdominal refers to the belly area only, narrower than ventral.
anterior
Anterior means front, and in humans is often used the same as ventral.
belly-side
Belly-side is a plain description with no technical tone.

Opposites

dorsal

Word family

ventrally adverb
toward or on the belly side
ventricle noun
a chamber of the heart or brain
dorsal adjective
on the back side

Commonly confused: ventral or ventricular?

ventral vs ventricular

Ventricular relates to a ventricle, not to the belly side.

Practice

A dolphin's pale underside is its ____ surface.

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