parietal

[ puh-rahy-i-tl ]
/ pəˈraɪ ɪ tl /

adjective

Anatomy. of, relating to, or situated near the side and top of the skull or the parietal bone.
Biology. of or relating to parietes or structural walls.
Botany. pertaining to or arising from a wall: usually applied to ovules when they proceed from or are borne on the walls or sides of the ovary.
pertaining to or having authority over residence, and especially visitation regulations between the sexes, within the walls or buildings of a college or university: a listing of the parietal regulations for the law students' dormitory.

noun

Anatomy. any of several parts in the parietal region of the skull, especially the parietal bone.
parietals. Also called parietal rules. campus regulations governing visits between members of opposite sexes to each other's dormitories or rooms.

Origin of parietal

1590–1600; < Late Latin parietālis of, belonging to walls, equivalent to Latin pariet- (stem of pariēs) wall + -ālis -al1

OTHER WORDS FROM parietal

in·ter·pa·ri·e·tal, adjective sub·pa·ri·e·tal, adjective trans·pa·ri·e·tal, adjective

Words nearby parietal

parian, parian ware, parica, paricutín, paries, parietal, parietal bone, parietal cell, parietal emissary vein, parietal endocarditis, parietal eye

Example sentences from the Web for parietal

British Dictionary definitions for parietal

parietal
/ (pəˈraɪɪtəl) /

adjective

anatomy biology of, relating to, or forming the walls or part of the walls of a bodily cavity or similar structure the parietal bones of the skull
of or relating to the side of the skull
(of plant ovaries) having ovules attached to the walls
US living or having authority within a college

noun

a parietal bone

Word Origin for parietal

C16: from Late Latin parietālis, from Latin pariēs wall

Medical definitions for parietal

parietal
[ pə-rī′ĭ-tl ]

adj.

Relating to or forming the wall of any cavity.
Of or relating to either of the parietal bones.