Anatomical Directional Terms and Body Regions

Vocabulary practice flashcards generated from lecture notes covering relative anatomical directional terms and human body region descriptions.

Anterior

In front of; toward the front surface.

Posterior

In back of; toward the back surface.

Dorsal

Toward the back side of the human body.

Ventral

Toward the belly side of the human body.

Superior

Closer to the head.

Inferior

Closer to the feet.

Cranial (cephalic)

Toward the head end.

Caudal

Toward the rear or tail end.

Rostral

Toward the nose or mouth.

Medial

Toward the mid-line of the body.

Lateral

Away from the mid-line of the body.

Ipsilateral

On the same side.

Contralateral

On the opposite side.

Deep

Closer to the inside, internal to another structure.

Superficial

Closer to the outside, external to another structure.

Proximal

Closer to point of attachment to trunk.

Distal

Farther away from point of attachment to trunk.

Abdominal

Region inferior to the thorax (chest) and superior to the pelvic brim of the hip bones.

Antebrachial

Forearm (the portion of the upper limb between the elbow and the wrist).

Antecubital

Region anterior to the elbow; also known as the cubital region.

Auricular

Visible surface structures of the ear.

Axillary

Armpit.

Brachial

Arm (the portion of the upper limb between the shoulder and the elbow).

Buccal

Cheek.

Calcaneal

Heel of the foot.

Carpal

Wrist.

Cephalic

Head.

Cervical

Neck.

Cranial

Skull.

Crural

Leg (the portion of the lower limb between the knee and the ankle).

Deltoid

Shoulder.

Digital

Fingers or toes (also called phalangeal).

Dorsal/Dorsum

Back.

Facial

Face.

Femoral

Thigh.

Fibular

Lateral aspect of the leg.

Frontal

Forehead.

Gluteal

Buttock.

Hallux

Great toe.

Hip

Lateral region between trunk and thigh.

Inguinal

Groin (sometimes used to indicate the crease between the thigh and the trunk).

Lumbar

The "small of the back": the inferior part of the back between the ribs and the pelvis.

Mammary

Breast.

Manus

Hand.

Mental

Chin.

Nasal

Nose.

Occipital

Posterior aspect of the head.

Olecranal

Posterior aspect of the elbow.

Oral

Mouth.

Orbital

Eye.

Palmar

Palm (anterior surface) of the hand.

Patellar

Kneecap.

Pectoral

Chest, includes mammary region.

Pelvic

Pelvis; region inferior to the pelvic brim of the hip bones.

Perineal

Diamond-shaped region between the thighs that contains the anus and external reproductive organs.

Pes

Foot.

Plantar

Sole of the foot.

Pollex

Thumb.

Popliteal

Area posterior to the knee.

Pubic

Anterior region of the pelvis.

Radial

Lateral aspect (thumb side) of forearm.

Sacral

Posterior region between the hip bones.

Scapular

Shoulder blade.

Sternal

Anterior middle region of the thorax.

Sural

Calf (posterior part of the leg).

Tarsal

Proximal part of the foot and ankle.

Thoracic

Part of torso superior to thoracic diaphragm; contains the pectoral, axillary, and sternal regions.

Tibial

Medial aspect of leg.

Ulnar

Medial aspect (pinky side) of the forearm.

Umbilical

Navel.

Vertebral

Spinal column.