dorsal

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. adj. Anatomy Of, toward, on, in, or near the back or upper surface of an organ, part, or organism.
2. adj. Botany Of or on the outer surface, underside, or back of an organ.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. In anatomy: Of or pertaining to the back: as, the dorsal fin of a fish; dorsal muscles, nerves, etc.
2. Of or pertaining to the back of a part or organ: as, the dorsal aspect of the hand; the dorsal surface of the breast-bone; the dorsal artery of the penis.
3. In entomology, pertaining to the upper surface of the thorax or abdomen.
4. n. In ichthyology, a dorsal fin.
5. n. In anatomy, a dorsal vertebra.
6. n. Eccles. See the extract.
7. In phonology, pronounced with the back or middle upper surface of the tongue raised to the palate.
8. In botany, relating to the back of an organ. See back, 3 (A).

Wiktionary

1. adj. With respect to, or concerning the side in which the backbone is located, or the analogous side of an invertebrate.
2. adj. Having only one sharp side.
3. adj. An anatomical term referring to the top surface of either foot and/or hand.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. adj. Pertaining to, or situated near, the back, or dorsum, of an animal or of one of its parts; notal; tergal; neural; ; -- opposed to ventral.
2. adj. Pertaining to the surface naturally inferior, as of a leaf.
3. adj. Pertaining to the surface naturally superior, as of a creeping hepatic moss.
4. n. A hanging, usually of rich stuff, at the back of a throne, or of an altar, or in any similar position.

WordNet 3.0

1. adj. belonging to or on or near the back or upper surface of an animal or organ or part
2. adj. facing away from the axis of an organ or organism