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# 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 →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/dorsal/#m1)

2) The dorsal fin is the fin on the back of a fish, shark, dolphin or whale. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/dorsal/#m2)

### 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 →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/dorsal/#x1)
- Dolphins have a curved dorsal fin. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/dorsal/#x2)
- Label the dorsal fin on your fish diagram. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/dorsal/#x3)
- The dorsal side of a frog is green and spotty. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/dorsal/#x4)
- Some whales have a tiny dorsal fin. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/dorsal/#x5)
- The dorsal fin stops the fish from rolling over. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/dorsal/#x6)

### 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](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/dorsal/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.