adjective
1Anatomy
Situated away from the centre of the body or from the point of attachment.The opposite of proximal‘the distal end of the tibia’- ‘The stomach and small bowel were dilated due to there being colonic atresia just distal to the cecum.’
- ‘Retinal prostheses are only viable if the visual pathway distal to the retina is intact and functional.’
- ‘This disorder occurs because of median nerve entrapment distal to the elbow.’
- ‘In the presence of an arterial stenosis, a reduction in pressure occurs distal to the lesion.’
- ‘This section passes through the upper third of the forearm distal to the insertion of the arm muscles.’
- 1.1Geology Relating to or denoting the outer part of an area affected by geological activity.‘the distal zone is characterized by pyroclastic flow deposits’
- ‘In distal areas, a layered sedimentary unit appears under the chaotic unit.’
- ‘The spherules in South Greenland are the first distal impact ejecta recognized in mid-Precambrian strata.’
- ‘Similar laminated deposits are formed in more distal periglacial lakes.’
- ‘Wonoka units 4 and 5 include distal turbidites and are of relatively deep water origin.’
- ‘These often overlie distal bayhead delta mouthbar facies, and commonly have a sharp erosive base.’
Origin
Early 19th century from distant, on the pattern of words such as dorsal.
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