anatomical

adjective

an·​a·​tom·​i·​cal ˌa-nə-ˈtä-mi-kəl 

variants or less commonly anatomic

ˌa-nə-ˈtä-mik 

: of or relating to anatomy or the body structure of organisms

anatomical studies/structures/mechanisms

The mollusks are divided according to common anatomical traits into seven classes …

—Carol M. Lalli and Ronald W. Gilmer

Mayberg has been mapping anatomical areas of the brain that are either hyperactive or inactive in depressed men and women.

—Siddhartha Mukherjee

Diabetes mellitus is characterized by a broad array of physiologic and anatomic abnormalities, but its most notable feature is disturbed glucose metabolism, which results in inappropriate hyperglycemia.

—George F. Cahill, Jr. et al.

anatomically

ˌa-nə-ˈtä-mi-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

… in Africa and possibly in the Middle East, anatomically modern humans were evolving.

—Rick Gore

Examples of anatomical in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

These include bodies omnipresent in art, like the classical body and the nude body; other kinds of bodies that are more often overlooked, like aging bodies and pregnant bodies; and still more that are universal, like the anatomical body. —Nicole Phelps, Vogue, 17 Nov. 2025

Due to its anatomical structure, curly hair has a hard time holding onto hydration. —Zoë Weiner, Glamour, 14 Nov. 2025

Aligning comfort, style and innovation, the shoes make use of Melissa’s Melflex material and Scholl’s anatomical footbed technology, tapping into nostalgia while maintaining a forward-thinking sensibility. —Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 12 Nov. 2025

In their study, Zanno and her colleagues re-analysed the duelling tyrannosaur, examining growth rings in the bones, developmental anatomical features and patterns of fusion in its spinal bones. —Ian Randall, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1627, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for anatomical

• astronomical
• economical
• comical
• neuroanatomical
• uneconomical