proximal

adjective

prox·​i·​mal ˈpräk-sə-məl How to pronounce proximal (audio)
1
: situated close to : proximate
2
: next to or nearest the point of attachment or origin, a central point, or the point of view
especially : located toward the center of the body compare distal
3
: of, relating to, or being the mesial and distal surfaces of a tooth
proximally adverb

Examples of proximal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Hip tendinitis can affect different tendons, including the gluteal (buttock) tendons and the proximal (upper) hamstring tendons.12 Gluteal tendinitis, or tendinopathy, affects nearly 24% of all middle-aged women. Lindsay Curtis, Health, 31 Oct. 2024 Symptoms Around the Nail The main symptoms of a hangnail infection affect the nail fold—the area where the nail meets the skin at the sides (lateral nail folds) and the base (proximal nail fold). Mark Gurarie, Health, 9 Oct. 2024 The Serendipity Prospect is defined by 10 robust geochemical targets with up to 150 times background gold values proximal to the regional scale Hashimoto Deformation Zone (Figure 1). Sacramento Bee, 19 June 2024 Most Au-Ag mineralized zones intersected in the drilling programs are proximal to the historic, extensive underground mine workings or the historic, shallow open pit walls. Kansas City Star, 10 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for proximal 

Word History

Etymology

Latin proximus

First Known Use

1727, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of proximal was in 1727

Dictionary Entries Near proximal

Cite this Entry

“Proximal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/proximal. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Medical Definition

proximal

adjective
prox·​i·​mal ˈpräk-sə-məl How to pronounce proximal (audio)
1
a
: situated next to or near the point of attachment or origin or a central point
the proximal was … better than the peripheral stump for a graftAnnual Review of Medicine
especially : located toward the center of the body
the proximal end of a bone
compare distal sense 1a
b
: of, relating to, or being the mesial and distal surfaces of a tooth
2
: sensory rather than physical or social
proximal stimuli
compare distal sense 2
proximally adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on proximal

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