2011_10_16 dorsal \DAWR-suhl\, adjective: Situated on the back, posterior

dorsal \DAWR-suhl\, adjective:
1. Situated on the back
2. In Anatomy situated on or toward the upper side of the body, equivalent to the back, or posterior, in humans.
3. In Botany pertaining to the surface away from the axis, as of a leaf; abaxial.
4. In Phonetics articulated with the dorsum of the tongue.
noun:
1. In Phonetics a dorsal speech sound.
2. In Anatomy a dorsal structure.
The arm was lying, fully extended, with the dorsal side uppermost.
-- R. Austin Freeman, The Eye of Osiris
Dorsal fins broke the surface, carving the cobalt water clean and silver.
-- Zoë Archer, Scoundrel
Dorsal comes from the Latin dorsum meaning "back."