Exercise 1: The Language of Anatomy

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering anatomical terminology, regional terms, directional terms, planes of section, and body cavities.

Gross Anatomy

The study of structures of the body visible to the naked eye.

Anatomical Position

An arbitrary reference position where the body is upright, facing forward with hands supinated (palms facing forward) and arms hanging at the sides.

Axial Division

Main division of the body referring to structures along the midline, including the head, neck, and trunk.

Appendicular Division

Main division of the body referring to the limbs and their attachments to the axis.

Abdominal

Anterior regional term pertaining to the region of the anterior trunk between the ribs and the upper border of the hips.

Acromial

Regional term pertaining to the point of the shoulder.

Antebrachial

Anterior regional term pertaining to the forearm

Antecubital

Anterior regional term pertaining to the anterior surface of the elbow (the inside of the elbow).

Axillary

Anterior regional term pertaining to the armpit.

Brachial

Regional term pertaining to the arm (the upper portion of the upper limb).

Buccal

cheek.

Carpal

Anterior regional term pertaining to the wrist.

Cervical

Anterior regional term pertaining to the neck.

Coxal

Anterior regional term pertaining to the hip.

Crural

Anterior regional term pertaining to the leg (lower portion of the lower limb).

Digital

Anterior regional term pertaining to the fingers or toes.

Femoral

Regional term pertaining to the thigh

Frontal

Anterior regional term pertaining to the forehead.

Hallux

Anterior regional term pertaining to the big toe.

Inguinal

Anterior regional term pertaining to the groin.

Mammary

Anterior regional term pertaining to the breast.

Mental

Anterior regional term pertaining to the chin.

Nasal

Anterior regional term pertaining to the nose.

Oral

Anterior regional term pertaining to the mouth.

Orbital

Anterior regional term pertaining to the bony eye socket (orbit).

Palmar

Anterior regional term pertaining to the palm of the hand.

Patellar

Anterior regional term pertaining to the anterior knee (kneecap) region.

Pedal

Anterior regional term pertaining to the foot.

Pelvic

Anterior regional term pertaining to the pelvic region (between the upper edge of the hip and the groin).

Fibular (peroneal)

Anterior regional term pertaining to the side of the leg (lower portion).

Pollex

Anterior regional term pertaining to the thumb.

Pubic

Anterior regional term pertaining to the genital region.

Sternal

Anterior regional term pertaining to the region of the breastbone (center of the chest).

Tarsal

Anterior regional term pertaining to the ankle.

Thoracic

Anterior regional term pertaining to the chest (from the collar bone to the bottoms of the ribs).

Umbilical

Anterior regional term pertaining to the navel.

Calcaneal

Posterior regional term pertaining to the heel of the foot.

Cephalic

Posterior regional term pertaining to the head.

Dorsum

Posterior regional term pertaining to the back (trunk only).

Gluteal

Posterior regional term pertaining to the buttocks or rump.

Lumbar

Posterior regional term pertaining to the region of the back between the lower edge of the ribs and the hips (the loin).

Manus

Posterior regional term pertaining to the hand.

Occipital

Posterior regional term pertaining to the posterior aspect of the head or the base of the skull.

Olecranal

Posterior regional term pertaining to the posterior aspect of the elbow.

Otic

Posterior regional term pertaining to the ear.

Perineal

Posterior regional term pertaining to the region between the anus and the external genitalia.

Plantar

Posterior regional term pertaining to the sole of the foot.

Popliteal

Posterior regional term pertaining to the back of the knee.

Sacral

Posterior regional term pertaining to the region between the hips.

Scapular

Posterior regional term pertaining to the region overlying the shoulder blades.

Sural

Posterior regional term pertaining to the calf or the posterior surface of the leg

Vertebral

Posterior regional term pertaining to the region overlying the spinal column.

Superior / Inferior

Directional terms describing placement relative to the long axis of the body; superior (cephalad) is toward the head, while inferior (caudal) is toward the tail.

Medial / Lateral

Directional terms describing placement relative to the midline along the width of the body; medial is closer to the midline, lateral is farther away.

Proximal / Distal

Directional terms describing the point of attachment of that limb to the body.

Anterior / Posterior

Directional terms describing placement along the axis running from front to back; anterior (ventral) is toward the front/belly, posterior (dorsal) is toward the back.

Superficial / Deep

Directional terms describing placement within the body relative to the surface versus the interior of the body.

Longitudinal Sections

Sections oriented parallel to the long axis of the body, including frontal sections and sagittal sections.

Frontal Section

A longitudinal plane of section that divides the body into an anterior (front) portion and a posterior (back) portion.

Midsagittal (Median) Section

A sagittal plane of section lying along the midline of the body that divides it into equal right and left halves.

Parasagittal Section

A sagittal plane of section lying parallel to the midline that divides the body into unequal right and left portions.

Cross (Transverse) Section

A plane of section that lies perpendicular to the long axis of the body.

Oblique Section

A plane of section that lies at an angle (not 90^ or 180^) to the long axis of the body.

Dorsal Cavity

Main cavity lying along the dorsal side of the body that includes the cranial cavity (containing the brain) and spinal cavity (containing the spinal cord).

Ventral Cavity

Main cavity lying along the ventral side of the body containing sub-cavities including the thoracic and abdominopelvic cavities.

Thoracic Cavity

Superior ventral sub-cavity bounded below by the diaphragm, containing two pleural cavities and the mediastinum.

Pleural Cavities

Sub-cavities in the thoracic cavity that enclose the lungs and are bounded by serous membranes called pleura.

Mediastinum

Region between the pleural cavities that includes the superior mediastinum (enclosing the esophagus and trachea) and the pericardium.

Pericardial Cavity

Cavity within the mediastinum that encloses the heart and is bounded by a serous membrane called the pericardium.

Abdominopelvic Cavity

Sub-cavity of the ventral cavity bounded above by the diaphragm, consisting of the abdominal cavity and pelvic cavity.

Abdominal Cavity

Cavity that encloses most of the digestive organs and is bounded by a serous membrane called the peritoneum.

Pelvic Cavity

Cavity bounded by the bony pelvis that encloses the reproductive organs.

Parietal Serosa

The outer layer of serous membranes that lines the walls of a body cavity.

Visceral Serosa

The inner layer of serous membranes that covers the organs within a body cavity.