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
Examples of distal in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Proximal colon cancer is a type of colon cancer that occurs on the right side of the colon and can have worse survival outcomes than cancers that occur in the distal colon, which is on the left side.
—
Maria Godoy, NPR, 14 Feb. 2025
Also known as nutcracker esophagus or distal or diffuse esophageal spasm (DES), esophageal spasm is a rare disorder affecting about 1 in 100,000 people.
—Mark Gurarie, Health, 20 Dec. 2024
In what's sometimes termed diffuse or distal esophageal spasm, there may also be a backflow of stomach acids or undigested foods.
—Mark Gurarie, Health, 20 Dec. 2024
The most likely type of fracture Betts has is a distal radius fracture.
—Greg Scholz, The Athletic, 4 July 2024
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Maria Godoy, NPR, 14 Feb. 2025
Also known as nutcracker esophagus or distal or diffuse esophageal spasm (DES), esophageal spasm is a rare disorder affecting about 1 in 100,000 people.
—Mark Gurarie, Health, 20 Dec. 2024
In what's sometimes termed diffuse or distal esophageal spasm, there may also be a backflow of stomach acids or undigested foods.
—Mark Gurarie, Health, 20 Dec. 2024
The most likely type of fracture Betts has is a distal radius fracture.
—Greg Scholz, The Athletic, 4 July 2024
See All Example Sentences for distal
Cite this Entry
“Distal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/distal. Accessed 6 May. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
distal
adjective
dis·tal
ˈdis-tᵊl 
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
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