Frontal means relating to or involving the front of something, for example the front of an army, a vehicle, or the brain.
[formal]
Military leaders are not expecting a frontal assault by the rebels.
He pioneered the surgical technique called frontal lobotomy.
2. adjective [usually ADJECTIVE noun]
A frontal attack or challenge criticizes or threatens something in a very strong, direct way.
3. See also full-frontal
frontal in British English
(ˈfrʌntəl)
adjective
1.
of, at, or in the front
2.
of or relating to the forehead
frontal artery
3.
of or relating to the anterior part of a body or organ
4. meteorology
of, relating to, or resulting from a front or its passage
frontal rainfall
noun
5.
a decorative hanging for the front of an altar
6. frontal lobe, frontal bone
7. another name for frontlet (sense 1)
Derived forms
frontally (ˈfrontally)
adverb
Word origin
C14 (in the sense: adornment for forehead, altar cloth): via Old French frontel, from Latin frontālia (pl) ornament worn on forehead, frontellum altar cloth, both from frōns forehead, front
frontal in American English1
(ˈfrʌntəl)
adjective
1.
of the front; in, on, at, or against the front
2.
of or for the forehead
noun
3.
frontal bone
Derived forms
frontally (ˈfrontally)
adverb
Word origin
ModL frontalis
frontal in American English2
(ˈfrʌntəl)
noun
1.
an ornamental band worn on the forehead
2.
an ornamental cloth hung over the front of an altar
3.
a.
a facade
b.
a small pediment over a door, window, etc.
Word origin
ME frountel < OFr frontel < ML frontellum, dim. for frontale < L frontalia, frontlet < frons: see front1 & -al
Examples of 'frontal' in a sentence
frontal
They also relied less on the frontal areas of the brain that are vulnerable to ageing.
The Sun (2017)
Yet the early diary entries themselves mostly avoid full frontal engagement with the protests.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Five areas in the frontal lobe and the bottom rear of the brain were affected.
The Sun (2011)
The frontal system will slowly take its rain eastwards today to be followed by sunshine and showers.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
The days of the frontal attack are over.
Max Hastings Nemesis: The Battle for Japan, 194445 (2007)
The frontal part is responsible for rationality.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
It floods the frontal cortex not with policy but with personality.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Expert opinion had warned that a frontal attack on prepared positions was certain to fail.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
In adolescence hormonal changes have an effect on the frontal cortex of the brain.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Some riders can get into a position where they have a very small frontal area without compromising power.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
An Atlantic frontal system will also spread rain across the northwest this weekend.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Rather than slug it out in a frontal attack, wisdom suggests a detour.
Christianity Today (2000)
In both regards, he represents a leading figure in the frontal attack on the classical position.
Henry, John F The Making of Neoclassical Economics (1990)
There is no respite in sight, as a further frontal system moves in from the south tomorrow.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
That is one interpretation of a study on mice that observed changes in the animals' frontal cortex following exposure to the drug.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
It turns out that I have three times more activity in my right frontal cortex than my left.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
This exercises your brain 's frontal lobes, which shrink with age.
The Sun (2006)
Conditions became treacherous on Wednesday night and Thursday morning as a frontal system brought in wetter weather.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Initially a weak frontal system will spread rain across central Britain tomorrow and into the southon Tuesday.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Dreams seem chaotic because the frontal area, used for planning and reasoning, is switched off during sleep.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
In addition, offering rewards will not work because he is too young and his frontal cortex still too immature to enable an understanding of this concept.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
In other languages
frontal
British English: frontal ADJECTIVE
Frontal means relating to or involving the front of something, for example the front of an army, a vehicle, or the brain.
Military leaders are not expecting a frontal assault by the rebels.
American English: frontal
Brazilian Portuguese: frontal
Chinese: 前部的
European Spanish: frontal
French: frontal
German: Frontal-
Italian: frontale
Japanese: 前面の
Korean: 정면의
European Portuguese: frontal
Latin American Spanish: frontal
All related terms of 'frontal'
frontal bone
the bone forming the forehead and the upper parts of the orbits . It contains several air spaces
frontal gyrus
any of several convolutions on the outer surface of the frontal lobe of the cerebrum
frontal lobe
the anterior portion of each cerebral hemisphere , situated in front of the central sulcus
full-frontal
If there is full-frontal nudity in a photograph or film , you can see the whole of the front part of someone's naked body, including the genitals.
frontal lobotomy
See prefrontal lobotomy
prefrontal lobotomy
a psychosurgical procedure in which the frontal lobes are separated from the rest of the brain by cutting the connecting nerve fibers