spatial

adjective

spa·​tial ˈspā-shəl How to pronounce spatial (audio)
variants or less commonly spacial
1
: relating to, occupying, or having the character of space
2
: of, relating to, or involved in the perception of relationships (as of objects) in space
tests of spatial ability
spatial memory
spatiality noun
or less commonly spaciality
spatially adverb
or less commonly spacially

Examples of spatial in a Sentence

When patients have this kind of problem, they can't feel the relationship between their body and their feet, so they must rely on visual cues to keep themselves upright. Without these cues, they lose their spatial orientation and fall. John Pettinato, Discover, October 2004
Williams syndrome, which was first described in 1961, results when a group of genes on one copy of chromosome 7 is deleted during embryonic development. Most people with Williams resemble each other more than they do their families, with wide-set hazel eyes, upturned noses, and wide mouths. They also share a peculiar set of mental impairments. Most stumble over the simplest spatial tasks, such as putting together a puzzle, and many not read or write beyond the level of a first grader. U.S. News & World Report, 15 June 1998
Several new ground-based and orbiting astronomical facilities that could provide high spatial and spectral resolution appear technologically ready for development during the next several decades. Robert D. Gehrz et al., Science, 25 May 1984
the spatial dimensions of a room
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.
The speaker is rounded, and most of its front and top are protected by a grille that covers its subwoofer, six mid-woofers, and seven tweeters (two of which fire upward for spatial audio). PCMAG, 12 Nov. 2024 It was originally teased during the Apple WWDC 2024 keynote last June and is designed to work with a Canon EOS R7 as a more affordable tool for creators making 3D VR content for headsets like the Meta Quest 3 or spatial videos for the Apple Vision Pro. Andrew Liszewski, The Verge, 30 Oct. 2024 Those with such disabilities typically struggle with a range of social and spatial skills, including reading comprehension and fine motor skills, according to the NVLD Project. Hannah Hudnall, USA TODAY, 29 Oct. 2024 Or, according to several veteran pilots with experience flying to Catalina, the pilot could have momentarily lost spatial awareness when the plane leaped up into that darkness and all of the usual visual references disappeared. Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for spatial 

Word History

Etymology

Latin spatium space

First Known Use

1847, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of spatial was in 1847

Dictionary Entries Near spatial

Cite this Entry

“Spatial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spatial. Accessed 24 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

spatial

adjective
spa·​tial ˈspā-shəl How to pronounce spatial (audio)
: of or relating to space
spatially adverb

Medical Definition

spatial

adjective
spa·​tial ˈspā-shəl How to pronounce spatial (audio)
1
: relating to, occupying, or having the character of space
affected with spatial disorientation
2
: of or relating to facility in perceiving relations (as of objects) in space
tests of spatial ability
spatially adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on spatial

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