dorsal

«dorsal» in Mova's school dictionary: on or to do with the back of an animal or the upper side… — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples.

part of speech

adjective (dorsal) — science

meaning for a pupil

1) (science) Dorsal means on or to do with the back of an animal or the upper side of something. tree →

2) The dorsal fin is the fin on the back of a fish, shark, dolphin or whale. tree →

sense in the lessons

In science lessons on fish and sea animals, the dorsal fin helps them balance and steer. In stories and films, a dorsal fin above the water is the classic sign of a shark (though dolphins have them too). In medicine and body science, «dorsal» means back-side; the opposite is «ventral» (belly side).

examples

• The shark's dorsal fin cut through the water. tree →
• Dolphins have a curved dorsal fin. tree →
• Label the dorsal fin on your fish diagram. tree →
• The dorsal side of a frog is green and spotty. tree →
• Some whales have a tiny dorsal fin. tree →
• The dorsal fin stops the fish from rolling over. tree →

note

Science word, mostly in «dorsal fin». Opposite: ventral (the belly side). Trap: not every fin above the water is a shark — dolphins have dorsal fins too.

Trees and pragmatics

Every meaning and example of «dorsal» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.