proximal
adjective
prox·i·mal
ˈpräk-sə-məl 
1
: situated close to : proximate
2
: next to or nearest the point of attachment or origin, a central point, or the point of view
especially
: located toward the center of the body compare distal
3
: of, relating to, or being the mesial and distal surfaces of a tooth
Examples of proximal in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
To validate updates, conduct thorough testing, including A/B testing and user studies, and employ proximal policy optimization (PPO) to stabilize learning and prevent abrupt model changes.
—
Ambika Saklani Bhardwaj, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025
Those who ate two or more servings of yogurt a week were about 20 percent less likely to have Bifidobacterium-positive proximal colorectal cancer.
—Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 14 Feb. 2025
The greatest challenge for any course designer is finding a way to keep students working in their zone of proximal development.
—Ray Ravaglia, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024
Hip tendinitis can affect different tendons, including the gluteal (buttock) tendons and the proximal (upper) hamstring tendons.12
Gluteal tendinitis, or tendinopathy, affects nearly 24% of all middle-aged women.
—Lindsay Curtis, Health, 31 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for proximal
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Ambika Saklani Bhardwaj, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025
Those who ate two or more servings of yogurt a week were about 20 percent less likely to have Bifidobacterium-positive proximal colorectal cancer.
—Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 14 Feb. 2025
The greatest challenge for any course designer is finding a way to keep students working in their zone of proximal development.
—Ray Ravaglia, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024
Hip tendinitis can affect different tendons, including the gluteal (buttock) tendons and the proximal (upper) hamstring tendons.12
Gluteal tendinitis, or tendinopathy, affects nearly 24% of all middle-aged women.
—Lindsay Curtis, Health, 31 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for proximal
Cite this Entry
“Proximal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/proximal. Accessed 21 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
proximal
adjective
prox·i·mal
ˈpräk-sə-məl
1
a
: situated next to or near the point of attachment or origin or a central point
the proximal was … better than the peripheral stump for a graft—Annual Review of Medicine
Annual Review of Medicine
especially
: located toward the center of the body
the proximal end of a bone
compare distal sense 1a
b
: of, relating to, or being the mesial and distal surfaces of a tooth
2
: sensory rather than physical or social
proximal stimuli
compare distal sense 2
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