frontal

1 of 2

noun

fron·​tal ˈfrən-tᵊl How to pronounce frontal (audio)
Synonyms of frontalnext
1
[Middle English frontel, from Medieval Latin frontellum, diminutive of Latin front-, frons] : a cloth hanging over the front of an altar
2

frontal

2 of 2

adjective

1
: of, relating to, or adjacent to the forehead or the frontal bone
2
a
: of, relating to, or situated at the front
b
: directed against the front or at the main point or issue : direct
a frontal assault
3
: parallel to the main axis of the body and at right angles to the sagittal plane
4
: of or relating to a meteorological front
frontally adverb

Synonyms of frontal

Examples of frontal in a Sentence

Adjective most cars have the engine in the frontal part
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
In the event of a crash, the front passenger frontal and knee airbags could deploy despite the presence of an infant in a child seat, a child or a smaller passenger for whom deployment should be suppressed, increasing the risk of injury. Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 29 May 2026 Go Naked Hair offers wigs, bundles, closures, frontals, lashes, and more with great customer service and fast shipping, positioning itself as a one-stop shop for hair needs. Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 2 July 2025
Adjective
Philip Roth and John Updike can be accused of many things, but balking at full-frontal heterosexuality is not one of them. Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 1 June 2026 The blocking pattern will allow for a very warm, humid, and unstable airmass south of a wavy frontal boundary that will keep much of the South and Southeast active with daily rain and thunderstorm chances into early June, the Weather Prediction Center said. Doyle Rice, USA Today, 30 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for frontal

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

New Latin frontalis, from Latin front-, frons

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Adjective

1630, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of frontal was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Frontal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/frontal. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

frontal

adjective
front·​al
ˈfrənt-ᵊl
1
: of, relating to, or next to the forehead
2
: of, relating to, or directed at the front
a frontal attack
frontally
-ᵊl-ē
adverb

Medical Definition

frontal

adjective
fron·​tal ˈfrənt-ᵊl How to pronounce frontal (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or adjacent to the forehead or the frontal bone
2
: of, relating to, or situated at the front or anteriorly
3
: parallel to the main axis of the body and at right angles to the sagittal plane
a frontal plane
frontally adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on frontal

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster