Anatomy vocab

Anatomy

Study of the structure and shape of the body and its parts

Physiology

Study of how the body and its parts work or function

Atoms

The basic unit of a chemical element

Medial

Toward or at the middle of the body; on the inner side of

Lateral

Away from the midline of the body; on the outer side of

Proximal

Close to the origin of the body part or the point of attachment of a limb to the body trunk

Superior (cranial or cephalad)

Toward the head end or upper part of a structure or the body; above

Inferior (caudal)

Away deom the head end or toward the lower part of a structure or the body; below

Anterior (ventral)

Toward or at the front of the body; in front of

Posterior (dorsal)

Toward or at the backside of the body; behind

Molecules

A group of two or more atoms held together by chemical bonds

Macromolecule

Very large, complex molecules essential for life, made up thousands of small repeating units bonded together

Cell

The smallest structural and functional unit of all living organisms

Organelles

A tiny structure inside a cell that preforms a specific job

Tissue

A group of similar cells that work together to preform a specific job in an organism

Organ System

A group of physical parts in the body (called organs) that work together to do a big job

Organism

Any individual living thing, such as an animal, plant, fungus, or bacterium, that can function on its own

Metabolism

The total sum of all chemical reactions in the body that convert food into energy and sustain life

Axial

Relating to, forming, or situated in the direction of an axis

Appendicular

Relating to an appendage, a limb, or a body part attached to a main structure

Cranial Cavity

The space inside the skull that houses and protects the brain

Vertebral Canal

A hollow tunnel running down the center of the backbone that holds and protects the spinal cord

Thoracic Cavity

The hollow space in your chest that holds and protects vital organs like the heart and lungs

Diaphragm

A dome-shaped sheet of muscle and connective tissue in mammals that separates the chest cavity from the abdomen and drives breathing

Abdominal Cavity

The largest hollow space in the human body, located below the chest and above the pelvis

Pelvic Cavity

A bowl-shaped anatomical space enclosed by the bony pelvis located below the abdominal cavity

Oral Cavity

The inside of the mouth

Nasal Cavity

The large, air-filled space inside and behind your nose in the middle of your face

Orbital Cavity

A pyramid-shaped bony cavity in the skull that houses and protects the eyeball and its surrounding structures

Middle Ear Cavity

A small, air-filled space located inside the temporal bone of the skull

Bilateral

Having, involving, or affecting two sides, parts, or parties

Distal

Located farther away from the center of the body, the point of attachment, or the origin of a structure

Superficial

Existing or occurring on the surface only, or lacking depth, thoroughness, and genuine substance

Deep

Extending far down, inward, or backward from a surface

Sagittal

Relating to an imaginary vertical plane that divides the body or an organ into left and right sides

Transverse

Situated, lying, or extending across something, typically at a right angle or crosswise to a primary or lengthwise axis

Frontal

Situated at, directed toward, or relating to the front of something