Anatomical Terms

Supine

Body is lying down on back with face up.

Prone

Body is lying face down with back facing upwards.

Mid-sagittal or Median plane

The body is divided into equal right and left halves by this plane.

Sagittal plane

Any plane parallel to the median plane.

Frontal (Coronal) plane

Vertical plane at right angle to median plane which divides the body into its anterior and posterior parts.

Transverse plane

Horizontal plane of the body perpendicular to both frontal and sagittal planes that separates the body into its top and bottom parts.

Oblique plane

Any plane through the body that is not parallel to the other planes described above.

Median

structures associated with the midline; median cubital vein: in the midpoint of the cubital fossa

Medial

Structures of the body are nearer the midline/towards midline.

Lateral

Away from the middle of the body.

Anterior

Towards the front of the body.

Posterior

Towards the back of the body.

Inferior

Towards the feet; lower.

Superior

Towards the head; higher.

Distal

Away from the origin; farther from the point of attachment.

Proximal

Closer to the origin; closer to the point of attachment.

Axial

related to the trunk of the body

Appendicular

related to the appendages

Cranial

related to the head

Cervical

related to the neck.

Thoracic

related to the thorax of the body.

Abdominal

related to the abdomen.

Pelvic

related to the pelvis.

Dorsal

Towards the back of the body.

Ventral

Towards the front of the body.

Rostral

Towards the front of the head.

Caudal

Towards the back; the tail.

Quadratus

square shaped; quadratus lumborum: square lumbar muscle

Teres

round; ligamentum teres hepatis: round ligament of the liver

Salpinx

horn-like; salpinx of uterine tube: distal widening of tube

Longus

longer; adductor longus muscle: the longer adductor muscle

Brevis

shorter; adductor brevis muscle: the shorter adductor muscle

Magnus

great; adductor magnus: the great adductor muscle

Maximus

greatest; gluteus maximus: the largest muscle of the buttock

Minimus

smallest; gluteus minimus: the smallest muscle of the buttock

arth

joint; arthritis: joint inflammation

carpal

wrist; carpal tunnel syndrome: wrist nerve pain

dactyl

finger; dactylography: finger print study

manus

hand; manubrium: handlike upper portion of sternum

myo

muscle; myocardium: muscle in heart

oste

bone; osteoporosis: bone porous process

pedal

foot; pedestrian: walking people

pod

foot; podiatrist: foot doctor

tarsal

ankle; tarsal bones: bones in ankle

audit

hear; auditory: of hearing

aur

ear; auriscope: device to look into the ear

bucc

cheek; buccopharyngeal fascia: cheek to pharynx connective tissue

caput

head; caput medusae: like Medusa's head - enlarged paraumbilical vein

cereb

brain; cerebrum: brain (upper part)

cervic

neck; cervical: of neck

col(l)

neck; collar: around neck

corona

crown; coronary: like a crown

encephala

head; encephalitis: brain inflammation

lingu

tongue; linguistics: tongue work (speech) study

nas

nose; nasal: of nose

neuro

nerve; neurology: nerve system study

oculo

eye; ocular migraine: retinal disease accompanied by migraine headache

olfact

smell; olfactory: of smell

ophthalm

eye; ophthalmology: eye system and disease study

opia

vision; myopia: squint eye - nearsighted

ot

ear; otoscope: device to look into the ear

phasia

speech; dysphasia: malfunction/disorder in speech

psycho

mind; psychology: mind study

rhin

nose; rhinoplasty: nose plastic surgery

alg

pain; neuralgia: pain caused by a nerve

brady

slow; bradycardia: slow beating heart (<50bpm)

dys

improper, bad; dystrophy: abnormal growth

ectomy

excision/cut; endarterectomy: cut from inside, as in carotid endarterectomy

gangli

swelling, mass; ganglion: cell cluster in peripheral nervous system

iatr

medical care; podiatry: feet medical care

itis

inflammation; dermatitis: skin inflammation

mal

"bad; malignant: ""badly begotten"", causing harm"

neo

new; neoplasm: new creation (abnormal growth) - tumor

oma

growth; carcinoma: cancer of epithelial cells: growing body looking like a crab

onc

tumor; oncogenic: relating to tumor formation

osis

process, condition, or disease; osteoporosis: progressive loss of bone mineral density

path

disease; pathology: disease study

peps, pept

digestion; peptic: aiding digestion

scopy

examination; thoracoscopy: thoracic cavity examination

septi

rotten; antiseptic: opposing decay

tachy

rapid; tachycardia: fast beating heart (>100bpm)

therap

treatment; therapeutic: of treatment of disease

thromb

clot; thrombosis: blood clotting process

trauma

wound; traumatic: wounded

tox

poison; toxicology: poison study

a

lacking; anemia: lacking blood

ab

away from normal; abduct: move away from the median plane

alba

white; linea alba: white line

ana

throughout; anatomy: throughout cut

ante

before; antebrachium: forearm

anti

against; antibiotics: against bacteria

apo

separation; apocrine: glands where vesicle pinches off cell

bi

double; bicuspid: two cups

cata

down; catabolism: breaking down molecules

cle, cula

diminutive; tubercle: small nodule

con, com

together; conjugate: link together

contra

opposite; contralateral: opposite side

de

reduce, go down; descending aorta: downpipe of main vessel

di

apart; dissect: cut apart piece by piece

dia

through; dialysis: through breakdown