variants
or less commonly spacial
1
: relating to, occupying, or having the character of space
2
: of, relating to, or involved in the perception of relationships (as of objects) in space
tests of spatial ability
spatial memory
Examples of spatial in a Sentence
When patients have this kind of problem, they can't feel the relationship between their body and their feet, so they must rely on visual cues to keep themselves upright. Without these cues, they lose their spatial orientation and fall.
—
John Pettinato, Discover, October 2004
Williams syndrome, which was first described in 1961, results when a group of genes on one copy of chromosome 7 is deleted during embryonic development. Most people with Williams resemble each other more than they do their families, with wide-set hazel eyes, upturned noses, and wide mouths. They also share a peculiar set of mental impairments. Most stumble over the simplest spatial tasks, such as putting together a puzzle, and many not read or write beyond the level of a first grader.
—U.S. News & World Report, 15 June 1998
Several new ground-based and orbiting astronomical facilities that could provide high spatial and spectral resolution appear technologically ready for development during the next several decades.
—Robert D. Gehrz et al., Science, 25 May 1984
the spatial dimensions of a room
John Pettinato, Discover, October 2004
Williams syndrome, which was first described in 1961, results when a group of genes on one copy of chromosome 7 is deleted during embryonic development. Most people with Williams resemble each other more than they do their families, with wide-set hazel eyes, upturned noses, and wide mouths. They also share a peculiar set of mental impairments. Most stumble over the simplest spatial tasks, such as putting together a puzzle, and many not read or write beyond the level of a first grader.
—U.S. News & World Report, 15 June 1998
Several new ground-based and orbiting astronomical facilities that could provide high spatial and spectral resolution appear technologically ready for development during the next several decades.
—Robert D. Gehrz et al., Science, 25 May 1984
the spatial dimensions of a room
Recent Examples on the Web
The study involved a spatial puzzle involving colored blocks and the vast majority of the participants opted for the much more cumbersome additive solution instead of subtracting, because subtraction is just not how our minds are oriented.
—Angela Chen, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2024
Someday there will be another editor sitting in this chair, planning a 75th or 100th anniversary of PEOPLE that will live on the page or a screen or in 3D or on some new spatial plane yet to be invented.
—Wendy Naugle, Peoplemag, 10 Apr. 2024
Second, statistical analyses developed by Wake Forest University professor Staci Hepler revealed spatial associations between Thomson’s gazelles and wildebeest that were strong in high rainfall years and weakened in years with widespread fires.
—T. Michael Anderson, Discover Magazine, 6 Apr. 2024
Their primary focus is to assist luxury brands entering the metaverse space by providing an end-to-end metaverse and spatial web platform strategy and the infrastructure needed to execute these objectives.
—Miami Herald, 28 Mar. 2024
Up to five people can participate in a spatial Persona session at a time.
—Victoria Song, The Verge, 2 Apr. 2024
Apple’s avatars are supposed to make the experience feel more social, but these spatial personas don’t exactly have that human touch most people are looking for.
—Maxwell Zeff / Gizmodo, Quartz, 2 Apr. 2024
The Sonos Era 300 speaker aims to bring the best of spatial music with a new unorthodox and functional design.
—Prakhar Khanna, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024
Apple Music has offered lossless audio and spatial audio as part of any individual plan for no extra cost since 2021.
—Elias Leight, Billboard, 5 Mar. 2024
Angela Chen, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2024
Someday there will be another editor sitting in this chair, planning a 75th or 100th anniversary of PEOPLE that will live on the page or a screen or in 3D or on some new spatial plane yet to be invented.
—Wendy Naugle, Peoplemag, 10 Apr. 2024
Second, statistical analyses developed by Wake Forest University professor Staci Hepler revealed spatial associations between Thomson’s gazelles and wildebeest that were strong in high rainfall years and weakened in years with widespread fires.
—T. Michael Anderson, Discover Magazine, 6 Apr. 2024
Their primary focus is to assist luxury brands entering the metaverse space by providing an end-to-end metaverse and spatial web platform strategy and the infrastructure needed to execute these objectives.
—Miami Herald, 28 Mar. 2024
Up to five people can participate in a spatial Persona session at a time.
—Victoria Song, The Verge, 2 Apr. 2024
Apple’s avatars are supposed to make the experience feel more social, but these spatial personas don’t exactly have that human touch most people are looking for.
—Maxwell Zeff / Gizmodo, Quartz, 2 Apr. 2024
The Sonos Era 300 speaker aims to bring the best of spatial music with a new unorthodox and functional design.
—Prakhar Khanna, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024
Apple Music has offered lossless audio and spatial audio as part of any individual plan for no extra cost since 2021.
—Elias Leight, Billboard, 5 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'spatial.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near spatial
Cite this Entry
“Spatial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spatial. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Medical Definition
spatial
adjective
spa·tial
ˈspā-shəl 
1
: relating to, occupying, or having the character of space
affected with spatial disorientation
2
: of or relating to facility in perceiving relations (as of objects) in space
tests of spatial ability
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