Anatomical glossary

Question 1

What is the meaning of medial?

Answer 1

Toward the midline

Question 2

What is the meaning of lateral?

Answer 2

Away from the midline

Question 3

What is the meaning of Anterior?

Answer 3

Front

Question 4

What is the meaning of Posterior

Answer 4

Back

Question 5

What is the meaning of superior?

Answer 5

Higher

Question 6

What is the meaning of inferior?

Answer 6

lower

Question 7

What is the meaning of proximal?

Answer 7

Closer to origin eg. knee is proximal to ankle

Question 8

What is the meaning of distal?

Answer 8

Further away from origin, eg. the wrist is distal to the elbow

Question 9

What is the meaning of central?

Answer 9

Close to the centre

Question 10

What is the meaning of peripheral?

Answer 10

further away from centre

Question 11

What is the meaning of superficial?

Answer 11

Nearer to outer surface

Question 12

What is the meaning of deep?

Answer 12

Away from surface

Question 13

What is the meaning of Dorsal?

Answer 13

Back or upper side

Question 14

What is the meaning of Ventral?

Answer 14

Front or lower side

Question 15

What is the meaning of cranial?

Answer 15

Closer to the top

Question 16

What is the meaning of Caudal?

Answer 16

closer to the bottom

Question 17

What is the meaning of palmar?

Answer 17

front of hand

Question 18

What is the meaning of plantar?

Answer 18

Sole of the feet

Question 19

What is the meaning of flexion?

Answer 19

Decrease the angle between 2 body parts

Question 20

What is the meaning of extension?

Answer 20

increase the angle between 2 body parts

Question 21

What is the meaning of abduction?

Answer 21

movement away from the midline

Question 22

What is the meaning of adduction?

Answer 22

movement towards the midline

Question 23

What is the meaning of medial rotation?

Answer 23

rotational movement towards the midline

Question 24

What is the meaning of lateral rotation

Answer 24

rotational movement away from the midline

Question 25

What is the meaning of elevation?

Answer 25

Movement in a superior direction

Question 26

What is the meaning of depression?

Answer 26

Movement in an inferior direction

Question 27

What is the meaning of supination?

Answer 27

turning hand from palm up to palm down

Question 28

What is the meaning of Pronation?

Answer 28

turning hand from palm down to palm up

Question 29

What is the meaning of Supine?

Answer 29

laying on back

Question 30

What is the meaning of prone?

Answer 30

laying on front

Question 31

What is the meaning of dorsiflexion?

Answer 31

flexion at the ankle so the foot points more superiorly

Question 32

What is the meaning of plantarflexion?

Answer 32

extension of the ankle so the foot points more inferiorly

Question 33

What is the meaning of inversion?

Answer 33

movement of the sole towards the median plane, sole faces medial direction

Question 34

What is the meaning of eversion?

Answer 34

Sole moves away from the median plane facing a lateral direction

Question 35

What is the meaning of opposition?

Answer 35

brings thumb and little finger together

Question 36

What is the meaning of reposition?

Answer 36

moves thumb and little finger away from each other

Question 37

What is the meaning of circumduction?

Answer 37

conical movement of a limb extending from the joint at which the movement is controlled

Question 38

What is the meaning of protraction?

Answer 38

anterolateral movement of the scapula on the thoracic wall that allows the shoulder to move anteriorly eg, reaching out for something

Question 39

What is the meaning of retraction?

Answer 39

posteromedial movement of the scapula on the thoracic wall, causing shoulder region to move posteriorly eg. picking something up