Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
dorsal root

dorsal root

1 8.1
A group of nerve fibers at the back of the spinal cord that carry messages about feeling into it
  • noun
  • /ˈdɔrsəl ruːt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : raíz dorsal
  • The dorsal root carries sensory information from the body to the spinal cord.
  • dorsal root neurons

Examples

  • The dorsal root contains actually the dorsal root ganglion cells.

  • Opioids bind to receptors situated on peripheral sensory nerve fibers or on dorsal root ganglia.

    Academic text (1996)

  • I've mentioned it here actually I said a dorsal root ganglion cell.

  • After this primary infection, which usually occurs during childhood, the virus may remain latent in a non-replicating form in neurons of dorsal root ganglia, ganglia of the autonomic nervous system, or both.

    Academic text (2003)

  • Abstract: Pain pathways begin with spinal sensory (dorsal root ganglion, DRG) neurons that produce nociceptive signals and convey them centrally.

    Academic text (2000)

  • Damage to the dorsal root can lead to loss of sensation in the affected area.

  • Doctors often study the dorsal root to understand pain transmission in the nervous system.

Synonyms

posterior root
vsdorsal root
  • Specialized
9.5

A group of nerves at the back of the spine that carries feeling from the body to the spinal cord

has identical meaning but is the alternative anatomical term

Surface Forms

dorsal root singular
dorsal roots plural

Morphology

dorsal + root

The compound is built compositionally from 'dorsal' (relating to the back) + 'root' (a base or origin, here the root of a nerve), so a learner who knows both words can infer it denotes the nerve root on the back side of the spinal cord. It is a technical but literal adjective+noun anatomical term that follows regular composition patterns and is therefore immediately interpretable by learners who know the constituents.

Etymology

Dorsal root comes from a simple picture: dorsal means 'back' and root looks like a plant root entering the spinal cord. These 'back roots' are the nerve parts that bring 'sensory' messages into the spinal cord, so the name helps you remember they carry feeling from the body to the spinal cord.