ventral

1 of 2

adjective

ven·​tral ˈven-trəl 

1

a

: of or relating to the belly : abdominal

b

: being or located near or on the anterior or lower surface of an animal opposite the back

2

: being or located on the lower surface of a dorsiventral plant structure

ventrally

ˈven-trə-lē 

adverb

ventral

2 of 2

noun

: a ventral part (such as a scale or fin)

Examples of ventral in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

For example, the magenta neurons come from the ventral part of the brain. —Lori Youmshajekian, Scientific American, 4 Dec. 2023

To aim us toward such goals, the hypothalamus organizes its neural circuits to work with the ventral tegmental area, a part of the brain involved with reward processes. —Popular Science, 26 Oct. 2023

When researchers showed pictures of cocaine to drug addicts or photographs of donuts to healthy people, the same brain regions—ranging from the ventral striatum and amygdala to the cerebellum—lit up in both groups. —Marta Zaraska, Scientific American, 11 Sep. 2023

Visions of us holding hands while lying side by side in a field of dandelions have released dopamine from the ventral tegmental area of my brain. —Meghana Indurti, The New Yorker, 1 Aug. 2023

The 50-inch-long sturgeon had a right ventral fin clip and PIT tag that traced it to the 2007 year class of fish raised at Riveredge. —Paul A. Smith, Journal Sentinel, 11 May 2023

The ventral attention network gets activated. —Elizabeth Bernstein, WSJ, 17 Aug. 2021

Neuroscientists say empathic concern is supported by several regions of the brain associated with social attachment and caregiving — the ventral tegmental area, caudate nucleus and subgenual anterior cingulate cortex. —Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 20 May 2022

Romantic love triggers a part of the brain called the ventral tegmental area (VTA). —Monica Cull, Discover Magazine, 14 Feb. 2022

Noun

Ventral, because the V in ventral is an arrow pointing down. —Neuroskeptic, Discover Magazine, 17 Oct. 2012

The dorsal is the back and the ventral is in the front. —Womensmedia, Forbes, 15 Apr. 2021

This mental effort pays off: As the hippocampus activates, so too does the ventral striatum, another of the brain’s dopaminergic reward centers. —Popular Science, 8 Apr. 2020

Earlier studies had shown that specific nerve pathways leading to a structure known as the ventral tegmental area (VTA) were important for the aversive nature of the foot shock. —Robert Martone, Scientific American, 27 Aug. 2019

Return as of 5/13/17 is 68 hatchery adult, 2 natural origin, 12 Cowlitz origin (ventral clipped), and 0 Lewis origin. —Mark Yuasa, The Seattle Times, 17 May 2017

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Word History

Etymology

Adjective

borrowed from Late Latin ventrālis, from Latin ventr-, venter "belly, abdomen" + -ālis -al entry 1 — more at venter

First Known Use

Adjective

1739, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1834, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing ventral

• ventral root

• ventral root

Kids Definition

ventral

adjective

ven·​tral

ˈven-trəl

1

: of or relating to the belly : abdominal

2

: being or located on or near the surface of the body that in human beings is the front but in most other animals is the lower surface

a fish's ventral fins

ventrally

-trə-lē

adverb

Medical Definition

ventral

adjective

ven·​tral ˈven-trəl 

1

: of or relating to the belly : abdominal

2

a

: being or located near, on, or toward the lower surface of an animal (as a quadruped) opposite the back or dorsal surface

b

: being or located near, on, or toward the front or anterior part of the human body