ventral

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1. Anatomy.
   1. Relating to or situated on or close to the abdomen; abdominal.
   2. Relating to or situated on or close to the anterior aspect of the human body or the lower surface of the body of an animal.
2. Botany. Of or on the lower or inner surface of an organ that faces the axis; adaxial.

1. A ventral fin.
2. The abdominal segment of an insect.

[Late Latin ventrālis, from Latin venter, ventr-, belly.]

Pertaining to the anterior part of a structure, or the part opposite the anatomical back.

1. pertaining to the abdomen or to any venter.
2. directed toward or situated on the belly surface; opposite of dorsal.

• v. coccygeal myotomy — tail setting operation in horses. See also nicking (2).
• v. cord syndrome — localized injury to the ventral portion of the spinal cord, characterized by complete paralysis and hypalgesia and hypesthesia up to the level of the lesion, but with relative preservation of dorsal column sensations of touch, position and vibration.
• v. edema — obvious swelling along ventral belly wall, may reach from brisket to pelvic brim, pits on pressure, so does urine from a leaking urethra. Manifestation of general edema due to congestive heart failure, hypoproteinemia, or to late pregnancy with compression on venous return by uterus and fetus.
• v. funiculus — nervous tissue white matter lying between the ventral columns of gray matter in the spinal cord.
• v. respiratory group — that part of the respiratory center which is located in the ventral medulla oblongata.