VENTRAL

Ven″tral (?), a. [[L. ventralis, fr. venter the belly; perhaps akin to G. wanst: cf. F. ventral.]] 1. 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. 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.
Ventral fins (Zoöl.), the posterior pair of fins of a fish. They are often situated beneath the belly, but sometimes beneath the throat. — Ventral segment. (Acoustics) See Loop, n., 5.