Term | Definition | Example |
Inferior
(caudal) | Away from the head end or toward the lower part of a structure or the body; below | The navel is _________ to the breastbone. |
Ventral
(anterior) | Toward or at the front of the body; in front of | The breastbone is _______ to the spine. |
Dorsal
(posterior) | Toward or at the backside of the body; behind | The heart is _________ to the breastbone. |
Medial | Toward or at the midline of the body; on the inner side of | The heart is ________ to the arm. |
Lateral | Away from the midline of the body; on the outer side of | The arms are __________ to the chest. |
Intermediate | Between a more medial and a more lateral structure | The collarbone is __________ between the breastbone and the shoulder. |
Proximal | Close to the origin of the body part or the point of attachment of a limb to the body trunk | The elbow is _________ to the wrist.
*This means that the elbow is closer to the shoulder or attachment point of the arm than the wrist is. |
Distal | Farther from the origin of a body part or the point of attachment of a limb to the body trunk | The knee is _________ to the thigh. |
Superficial
(external) | Toward or at the body surface | The skin is __________ to the skeleton. |
Deep
(internal) | Away from the body surface; more internal | The lungs are _______ to the rib cage. |
Superior
(cranial or cephalad) | Toward the head or upper part of a structure or the body; above | The forehead is _________ to the nose. |