ventral

2 definitions found

ventral - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Ventral \Ven"tral\, a. [L. ventralis, fr. venter the belly;
     perhaps akin to G. wanst: cf. F. ventral.]
     1. (Anat.) Of, pertaining to, or situated near, the belly, or
        ventral side, of an animal or of one of its parts; hemal;
        abdominal; as, the ventral fin of a fish; the ventral root
        of a spinal nerve; -- opposed to dorsal.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Bot.)
        (a) Of or pertaining to that surface of a carpel, petal,
            etc., which faces toward the center of a flower.
        (b) Of or pertaining to the lower side or surface of a
            creeping moss or other low flowerless plant. Opposed
            to dorsal.
            [1913 Webster]
  
     Ventral fins (Zool.), the posterior pair of fins of a fish.
        They are often situated beneath the belly, but sometimes
        beneath the throat.
  
     Ventral segment. (Acoustics) See Loop, n., 5.
        [1913 Webster]

ventral - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  ventral
      adj 1: toward or on or near the belly (front of a primate or
             lower surface of a lower animal); "the ventral aspect of
             the human body"; "the liver is somewhat ventral in
             position"; "ventral (or pelvic) fins correspond to the
             hind limbs of a quadruped" [ant: dorsal]
      2: nearest to or facing toward the axis of an organ or organism;
         "the upper side of a leaf is known as the adaxial surface"
         [syn: adaxial, ventral] [ant: abaxial, dorsal]