Dorsum

The back or posterior side of a structure. "Dorsum" is the Latin word for the back. Something pertaining to the dorsum is dorsal. The dorsal surface of the hand is the back of the hand, the side opposite the palm. The dorsal surface of the foot is the back of the foot, the side opposite the sole. The dorsal vertebrae are the thoracic vertebrae; they form part of the back. The dorsal roots of the spinal nerves are the back roots, the posterior roots. The opposite of dorsum is ventrum which comes from the Latin "venter" meaning belly. Something that is ventral is oriented toward the belly, toward the front of the body.

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1. The back of the body. 2. The upper or posterior surface, or the back, of any part. SYN: tergum. [L. back]

- d. ephippii SYN: d. sellae.

- d. of foot [TA] the back, or upper surface, of the foot. SYN: d. pedis [TA].

- d. of hand [TA] the back of the hand; surface of hand opposite the palm.

- d. linguae [TA] SYN: d. of tongue.

- d. manus [TA] SYN: d. of hand.

- d. nasi [TA] SYN: d. of nose.

- d. of nose [TA] the external ridge of the nose, looking forward and upward. SYN: d. nasi [TA].

- d. pedis [TA] SYN: d. of foot.

- d. of penis [TA] the aspect of the penis opposite to that of the urethra. SYN: d. penis [TA].

- d. penis [TA] SYN: d. of penis.

- d. scapulae the posterior surface of the scapula.

- d. sellae [TA] a square portion of bone on the body of the sphenoid posterior to the sella turcica or hypophysial fossa. SYN: d. ephippii.

- d. of tongue [TA] the back of the tongue; the upper surface of the tongue divided by the sulcus terminalis into an anterior two-thirds, the pars presulcalis (presulcal part), and a posterior one-third, the pars postsulcalis (postsulcal part). SYN: d. linguae [TA].

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dor·sum 'dȯr-səm n, pl dor·sa -sə

1) the upper surface of an appendage or part

2) BACK (1a){{}}(b) esp the entire dorsal surface of an animal

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n.

1. the back.

2. the upper or posterior surface of a part of the body; for example, of the hand. See also dorsal.

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dor·sum (dorґsəm) gen. dorґsi pl. dorґsa [L.] 1. [TA] the back. 2. the aspect of an anatomical part or structure corresponding in position to the back; posterior, in the human.