adjective
New Latin rostralis, from Latin rostrum
(Source: Merriam-Webster) [more]
[biology] of or like a beak or snout | adorned with the prows of ships (14 of 179 words, 2 definitions, 1 usage example, pronunciation)
A dais, pulpit, or other elevated platform for public speaking. | The curved, beaklike prow of an ancient Roman ship, especially a war galley. | The ... (24 of 70 words, 4 definitions, pronunciations)
[anatomy] situated or occurring near the front end of the body, especially ... | [zoology] of or on the rostrum (19 of 64 words, 2 definitions, 2 usage examples, pronunciation)
of or relating to a rostrum | situated toward the oral or nasal region: as ; [part of the spinal cord] "superior" [sense-specific] ; [part of the ... (26 of 59 words, 2 definitions, pronunciations)
may refer to: Anatomical location or direction, towards the rostrum (a beak-like structure). | Rostral bone, in ceratopsian dinosaurs | Rostral column, a monumental scaled column, frequently decorated with ship bows | Rostral scale, in scaled reptiles... (34 of 51 words, 5 definitions)
In the direction of the rostrum. | [anatomy] In the direction that a rostrum would have been located. | Serving as a rostrum. (21 of 22 words, 3 definitions, 1 usage example)
of, in, or on a rostrum | decorated with rostrums, or beaks of ships (13 of 20 words, 2 definitions, 1 usage example, pronunciation)
of or pertaining to a rostrum. (6 of 11 words, pronunciation)
First use: 1709
Origin: New Latin rostralis, from Latin rostrum
First use: early 19th century
Origin: "rostrum" + "-al"
oxforddictionaries.com/definition/rostral
First use: mid 16th century
Origin: Latin, literally "beak" (from rodere "gnaw"). The word was originally used (at first in the plural rostra) to denote part of the Forum ... (26 of 46 etymology words)
oxforddictionaries.com/definition/rostrum
Origin: "-al (...)" from French -el or Latin -alis; "-al (...)" from French -aille or from Latin -alis functioning as a noun ending
Audio: North American pronunciation of "rostral"
www.merriam-webster.com/audio.php file=rostra01 word=rostral
Page last updated: 2013-01-01