Directional Terms in Anatomy

Vocabulary flashcards covering the directional terms used to locate body parts.

Superior (cephalic or cranial)

Toward the head, or the upper part of a structure.

Inferior (caudal)

Away from the head, or the lower part of a structure.

Anterior (ventral)

Nearer to or at the front of the body.

Posterior (dorsal)

Nearer to or at the back of the body.

Medial

Nearer to the midline (an imaginary vertical line that divides the body into equal right and left sides).

Lateral

Farther from the midline.

Intermediate

Between two structures.

Proximal

Nearer to the attachment of a limb to the trunk; nearer to the origination of a structure.

Distal

Farther from the attachment of a limb to the trunk; farther from the origination of a structure.

Superficial (external)

Toward or on the surface of the body.

Deep (Internal)

Away from the surface of the body.