6 definitions found for parietal

Parietal PARIE'TAL, a. [from L. paries, a wall, properly a partition wall, from the root of part or pare.] Pertaining to a wall.
1. The parietal bones form the sides and upper part of the skull. They are so called because they defend the brain like walls.

parietal adj 1: of or relating to or associated with the parietal bones in the cranium; "parietal lobe"

parietal I. adjective Etymology: Middle English, from Medieval Latin parietalis, from pariet-, paries wall of a cavity or hollow organ, from Latin, wall Date: 15th century 1. a. of or relating to the walls of a part or cavity b. of, relating to, or forming the upper posterior wall of the head 2. attached to the main wall rather than the axis or a cross wall of a plant ovary — used of an ovule or a placenta 3. of or relating to college living or its regulation; especially of or relating to parietals II. noun Date: 15th century 1. a parietal part (as a bone, scale, or plate) 2. plural the regulations governing the visiting privileges of members of the opposite sex in campus dormitories

parietal
adj.
1 Anat. of the wall of the body or any of its cavities.
2 Bot. of the wall of a hollow structure etc.
3 US relating to residence within a college.
Phrases and idioms:
parietal bone either of a pair of bones forming the central part of the sides and top of the skull.
Etymology: F pariétal or LL parietalis f. L paries -etis wall

Parietal Pa*ri"e*tal, a. [L. parietalis, fr. paries, -ietis, a wall: cf. F. pari['e]tal. Cf. Parietary, Pellitory.] 1. Of or pertaining to a wall; hence, pertaining to buildings or the care of them. 2. Resident within the walls or buildings of a college. At Harvard College, the officers resident within the college walls constitute a permanent standing committee, called the Parietal Committee. --B. H. Hall (1856). 3. (Anat.) (a) Of pertaining to the parietes. (b) Of, pertaining to, or in the region of, the parietal bones, which form the upper and middle part of the cranium, between the frontals and occipitals. 4. (Bot.) Attached to the main wall of the ovary, and not to the axis; -- said of a placenta.

Parietal Pa*ri"e*tal, n. 1. (Anat.) One of the parietal bones. 2. (Zo["o]l.) One of the special scales, or plates, covering the back of the head in certain reptiles and fishes.