ventral

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adjective ven·tral \ ˈven-trəl \

Definition of ventral

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

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ventrally

play \-trə-lē\ adverb

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Recent Examples of ventral from the Web

It's produced in the ventral tegmental part of the brain and is released when a person expects or receives a reward of any kind.

— peter dunn, Indianapolis Star, "Pete the Planner: Money-related mental illness is no joking matter," 23 Aug. 2017
The farm fish will also potentially have damaged or eroded dorsal, ventral and tail fins from their captivity in nets.

— the oregonian/oregonlive, OregonLive.com, "Paul Ryan visits Oregon, preaches tax reform at Intel," 23 Aug. 2017
Another region, the ventral striatum, is part of the brain’s reward and motivation system.

— amanda macmillan, Time, "Why Wine Tastes Better When It Costs More," 16 Aug. 2017
The coins had collected in a heavy ball that cracked the turtle’s ventral shell, leading to an acute infection.

— brigit katz, Smithsonian, "The Sea Turtle That Ate 915 Coins Has Died," 21 Mar. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ventral.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of ventral

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

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First Known Use: 1739

See Words from the same year

Other Anatomy Terms

bilateral symmetry, carotid, cartilage, dorsal, entrails, prehensile, renal, solar plexus, supine, thoracic, ventral

ventral

noun

Definition of ventral

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

Recent Examples of ventral from the Web

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, "Plenty of choices to catch fish in Columbia River region," 17 May 2017

First Known Use of ventral

1834

Other Anatomy Terms

bilateral symmetry, carotid, cartilage, dorsal, entrails, prehensile, renal, solar plexus, supine, thoracic

VENTRAL Defined for Kids

ventral

play

adjective ven·tral \ ˈven-trəl \

Definition of ventral for Students

:of, relating to, or being on or near the surface of the body that in human beings is the front but in most animals is the lower surface

a fish's ventral fins

Medical Dictionary

ventral

play

adjective ven·tral \ ˈven-trəl \

medical Definition of ventral

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

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See words that rhyme with ventral Britannica English: Translation of ventral for Arabic speakers

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ventral

Definition of ventral

ventrally

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Recent Examples of ventral from the Web

Origin and Etymology of ventral

Other Anatomy Terms

ventral

Definition of ventral

Recent Examples of ventral from the Web

First Known Use of ventral

Other Anatomy Terms

VENTRAL Defined for Kids

ventral

Definition of ventral for Students

Medical Dictionary

ventral

medical Definition of ventral

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