distal

adjective

dis·tal | \ ˈdis-tᵊl

Definition of distal

1 anatomy : situated away from the point of attachment or origin or a central point especially of the body — compare proximal the distal ends of the tibia and fibula

2 dentistry : of, relating to, or being the surface of a tooth that is next to the tooth behind it or that is farthest from the middle of the front of the jaw — compare mesial sense 2

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By video, the hope for good news is that there is nothing to suggest a distal biceps tendon tear, which would require surgery. — Profootballdoc, sandiegouniontribune.com, "UPDATED: Biceps injury might not even keep Stephon Tuitt out one game," 11 Sep. 2017 Both were carted off the field and undoubtedly will undergo X-rays to rule out a distal fibula fracture. — Profootballdoc, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Broncos receivers Sanders, McKenzie suffer similar injuries," 15 Oct. 2017 Symptoms include tenderness over the middle or most distal portion of the metatarsal (long foot bone) with moderate swelling on the top of the foot. — Julie Isphording, Cincinnati.com, "How to keep your most important extremities healthy," 10 July 2017 Surgeons can close the hole and create a valve, but long-term outcomes vary, in large part because some patients also have undersized distal pulmonary arteries. — Nara Schoenberg, chicagotribune.com, "Surgeon explains Kimmel baby's heart defect," 2 May 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'distal.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near distal

distal convoluted tubule

distale

distance

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The first known use of distal was in 1803

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More Definitions for distal

distal

adjective

dis·tal | \ ˈdis-tᵊl

Medical Definition of distal

1 : situated away from the point of attachment or origin or a central point: as

a : located away from the center of the body the distal end of a bone — compare proximal sense 1a

b : located away from the mesial plane of the body — compare mesial sense 2

c : of, relating to, or being the surface of a tooth that is next to the following tooth counting from the middle of the front of the upper or lower jaw or that faces the back of the mouth in the case of the last tooth on each side — compare mesial sense 3, proximal sense 1b

2 : physical or social rather than sensory — compare proximal sense 2