Anatomy Directional Terms

Abdominal

anterior body trunk inferior to the ribs

Acromial

point of the shoulder

Antecubital

anterior surface of elbow

axillary

armpit

brachial

arm

buccal

cheek area

Carpal

wrist

Cervical

neck region

coxal

hip

crural

leg

digital

fingers, toes

Femoral

thigh

Fibular

lateral part of the leg

inguinal

area where thigh meets body trunk; groin

Nasal

nose area

oral

mouth

orbital

eye area

patellar

anterior knee

pelvic

area overlaying the pelvis anteriorly

pubic

genital area

Sternal

breastbone area

Tarsal

ankle region

thoracic

chest

umbilical

navel

calcaneal

heel of foot

cephalic

head

deltoid

curve of shoulder formed by large deltoid muscle

femoral

thigh

gluteal

buttock

lumbar

area of back between ribs and hips

occipital

posterior surface of head

olecranal

posterior surface of elbow

sacral

area between hips

scapular

shoulder blade area

sural

the posterior surface of the lower leg; the calf

vertebral

area of spine

Superior

toward the head; upper; above

Inferior

away from the head; below

Anterior

toward the front; in front of

posterior

toward the backside; behind

medial

toward the midline; inner side

lateral

away from the midline; the outer side

Intermediate

about midway between medial and a lateral structure

Proximal

close to the origin of the body; ie. torso

Distal

farther from the origin of the body; ie. fingers

Superficial

toward or at the body surface; farther out; skin to lungs

Deep

toward the inner body; ie. lungs to skin

midsagittal

line that divides the body symmetrically down the middle

frontal plane

divides the body in half down the side

transverse plane

divides the body at about the half way height point