ventral Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. adjective toward or on or near the belly (front of a primate or lower surface of a lower animal)
    • the ventral aspect of the human body
    • the liver is somewhat ventral in position
    • ventral (or pelvic) fins correspond to the hind limbs of a quadruped
  2. adjective nearest to or facing toward the axis of an organ or organism
    adaxial.
    • the upper side of a leaf is known as the adaxial surface

WordNet

Ven"tral adjective
Etymology
L. ventralis, fr. venter the belly; perhaps akin to G. wanst: cf. F. ventral.
Definitions
  1. (Anat.) Of, pertaining to, or situated near, the belly, or ventral side, of an animal or of one of its parts; hemal; abdominal; as, the ventral fin of a fish; the ventral root of a spinal nerve; -- opposed to dorsal.
  2. (Bot.) (a) Of or pertaining to that surface of a carpel, petal, etc., which faces toward the center of a flower. (b) Of or pertaining to the lower side or surface of a creeping moss or other low flowerless plant. Opposed to dorsal.

Webster 1913