sagittal

adjective

sag·​it·​tal ˈsa-jə-tᵊl How to pronounce sagittal (audio)
1
: of or relating to the suture between the parietal bones of the skull
2
: of, relating to, situated in, or being the median plane of the body or any plane parallel to it
sagittally adverb

Examples of sagittal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Additionally, the fossil had a large sagittal crest—the ridge of bone that protrudes upward and runs along the middle of the skull, per the publication. Margaret Osborne, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Dec. 2023 However, males don't develop their characteristic large size, silver backs, and large head bumps (called sagittal crests) until age 12 or later. Nikki Dobrin, Peoplemag, 21 July 2023 Movements like walking and front raises occur in the sagittal plane. David Otey, Men's Health, 20 July 2023 Lots of folks have weak hip abductors since so much of our day-to-day motions—both in life and at the gym—occur in the sagittal plane of motion, says Williams. Jenny McCoy, SELF, 6 July 2023 How: To perform on the sagittal plane, step forward with your right foot into a lunge, reaching your hands down to knee height. Jen Murphy, WSJ, 5 Sep. 2020 How: To work the sagittal plane, step forward with your right foot while reaching your arms overhead and looking to the sky. Jen Murphy, WSJ, 5 Sep. 2020 Lateral Lunge 3 sets of 6 to 8 reps per side play iconThe triangle icon that indicates to play Break out of the sagittal plane (front-to-back movement) with this side-to-side lunge, which puts you in the frontal plane. Brett Williams, Men's Health, 30 Mar. 2023 Kong does have many gorillalike attributes as well, including long muscular arms, a short snout with large canine teeth, and a tall sagittal crest – a ridge of bone on his head that would be the anchor point for some exceptionally strong jaw muscles. Kiersten Formoso, The Conversation, 29 Mar. 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sagittal.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English sagittale, from Medieval Latin sagittalis, from Latin sagitta arrow

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of sagittal was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near sagittal

Cite this Entry

“Sagittal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sagittal. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.

Medical Definition

sagittal

adjective
sag·​it·​tal ˈsaj-ət-ᵊl How to pronounce sagittal (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or being the sagittal suture of the skull
2
: of, relating to, situated in, or being the median plane of the body or any plane parallel to it
a sagittal section dividing the body into unequal right and left parts
sagittally adverb
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