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Directional Terms
For Medical Terminology and Anatomy
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Superior | Above; Towards the head |
| Cranial | Above; Towards the head |
| Inferior | Below; Towards the lower end of the body or tail |
| Caudal | Below; Towards the lower end of the body or tail |
| Anterior | Front surface of the body; belly side of the body |
| Ventral | Front surface of the body; belly side of the body |
| Posterior | Back surface of the body |
| Dorsal | Back surface of the body |
| Medial | Toward the midline |
| Lateral | Away from the midline |
| Proximal | Nearest the point of attachment to the trunk; toward point of origin |
| Distal | Farthest from point of attachment to the trunk; farthest from the point of origin |
| Superficial | Near the surface of the body |
| Deep | Away from the surface of the body |
| Suspine | Lying on the back, face up |
| Prone | Lying on the abdomen; face down |
| Plantar | Sole of the foot |
| Dorsum | Upper Portion of the foot |
| Peripheral | Away from the center |