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Anatomical Terms
List of anatomical terms and what they mean
Term | Definition |
---|---|
ventral | front or organ or body |
dorsal | back of organ or body |
anterior | front |
posterior | back |
superior | Higher on the body, nearer to the head |
inferior | below, towards the feet |
cephalic | toward head |
caudal | lower part of body (towards tail) |
proximal | situated nearest the midline or beginning of a body structure |
distal | situated farthest from the midline or beginning of a body structure |
medial | toward the midline |
lateral | nearer side of body |
dorsal cavity | located along the back of the body and head |
spinal cavity | contains the spinal cord |
ventral cavity | located along the front of the body |
Homeostasis | A tendency to maintain a balanced or constant internal state. |
thoracic cavity | chest; contains heart and lungs |
diaphragm | muscle that separates the thoracic and abdominal cavities |
abdominal cavity | contains primarily the major organs of digestion |
pelvic cavity | the space formed by the hip bones; contains primarily the organs of the reproductive and excretory systems |
abdominopelvic cavity | both the pelvic and abdominal cavities |
orbital cavity | eyes |
nasal cavity | located within and posterior to the nose |
oral (buccal) cavity | mouth |
cranium | skull |
midsagittal plane | divides the body into equal right and left sides |
transverse plane | line that divides the body into upper and lower sections |
frontal plane | Divides the body into front and back portions. |
pleural cavity | contains the lungs |
pericardial cavity | contains the heart |