# dorsal

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˈdɔː.səl/ · frequency rank #16,011

## Definitions
1. With respect to, or concerning the side in which the backbone is located, or the analogous side of an invertebrate.
2. With respect to, or concerning the side in which the backbone is located, or the analogous side of an invertebrate.
3. Having only one sharp side.
4. Relating to the surface naturally inferior, as of a leaf.
5. Relating to the surface naturally superior, as of a creeping hepatic moss.

## Etymology
From Late Middle English dorsal/dorsale, borrowing from Medieval Latin dorsālis (“of or relating to the back”), from dorsum (“the back”) + -ālis (“-al”, adjectival suffix); equivalent to dorsum + -al.

## Easily confused with
- **Dorset** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dorsal-vs-dorset)
- **Dorsey** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dorsal-vs-dorsey)
- **Dora** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dora-vs-dorsal)
- **Doran** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/doran-vs-dorsal)
- **Dorian** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dorian-vs-dorsal)
- **dermal** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dermal-vs-dorsal)
- **Dornan** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dornan-vs-dorsal)

## Common misspellings (9)
`ddorsal`, `dorasl`, `dorrsal`, `dorsall`, `dorsla`, `dorssal`, `dosral`, `drosal`, `odrsal`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/dorsal