1
: of or relating to a rostrum
2
: situated toward the oral or nasal region: such as
a
of a part of the spinal cord
: superior sense 6a
Examples of rostral in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
With parrot-like beaks (named rostral), their teeth were vital for reaching and tearing plants lying near the ground.
—
Kelly Santana Banks, Discover Magazine, 22 Apr. 2023
Ibrahim and his colleagues are looking at other brain regions that play a role in processing pain, especially the rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM), which is also located in the brain stem.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 27 Oct. 2022
That area is called the rostral dorsal medulla and essentially relays sensory information from the spinal cord to the brain.
—Sara Lindberg, SELF, 7 Jan. 2022
Initial exams measure the fish’s rostrum and overall length, check for parasites, inspect rostral teeth to note any that are missing or damaged, and document any scars or injuries.
—David A. Brown, Field & Stream, 13 Dec. 2019
These are the rostral anterior cingulate cortex and the periaqueductal gray, which are involved in higher-level functioning and pain, respectively.
—Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 9 Oct. 2017
Foffa, D., Sassoon, J., Cuff, A. R., Mavrogordato, M. N. & Benton, M. J. 2014. Complex rostral neurovascular system in a giant pliosaur.
—Darren Naish, Scientific American Blog Network, 16 June 2017
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Kelly Santana Banks, Discover Magazine, 22 Apr. 2023
Ibrahim and his colleagues are looking at other brain regions that play a role in processing pain, especially the rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM), which is also located in the brain stem.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 27 Oct. 2022
That area is called the rostral dorsal medulla and essentially relays sensory information from the spinal cord to the brain.
—Sara Lindberg, SELF, 7 Jan. 2022
Initial exams measure the fish’s rostrum and overall length, check for parasites, inspect rostral teeth to note any that are missing or damaged, and document any scars or injuries.
—David A. Brown, Field & Stream, 13 Dec. 2019
These are the rostral anterior cingulate cortex and the periaqueductal gray, which are involved in higher-level functioning and pain, respectively.
—Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 9 Oct. 2017
Foffa, D., Sassoon, J., Cuff, A. R., Mavrogordato, M. N. & Benton, M. J. 2014. Complex rostral neurovascular system in a giant pliosaur.
—Darren Naish, Scientific American Blog Network, 16 June 2017
Cite this Entry
“Rostral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rostral. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
rostral
adjective
ros·tral
ˈräs-trəl also ˈrȯs-
1
: of or relating to a rostrum
2
: situated toward the oral or nasal region: as
a
of a part of the spinal cord
: superior sense 1
b
of a part of the brain
: anterior or ventral
the rostral pons
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