Anatomical Terminology (Location)

Question 0

What does posterior and anterior mean?

Answer 0

Posterior: towards the back. Anterior: towards the front.
The pharynx is posterior to the oral cavity.
The eyes are anterior to the brain.

Question 1

What does superior and inferior mean?

Answer 1

Superior: above. Inferior: below.
The eyes are superior to the mouth.
The hips are inferior to the chest.

Question 2

What does lateral and medial me?

Answer 2

Lateral: toward the side in respect to the midline. Medial: closer to the midline.
The ear is lateral to the nose.
The eyes are medial to the nose.

Question 3

What does contralateral and ipsilateral mean?

Answer 3

Contralateral: positioned on the opposite side of something else (R/L). Ipsilateral: on the same side (R/L).
The right eye is contralateral to the .
The right ear ipsilateral to the right eye.

Question 4

What does distal and proximal mean?

Answer 4

Distal: farther from the origin. Proximal: closer to the origin.
Your ankle is more distal than the knee.
Your knee is more proximal than the toe.
-Origin means from where the limb can be detached.

Question 5

What does deep and superficial mean?

Answer 5

Deep: internal. Superficial: towards the surface.
Dermis is the deepest layer of skin.
Skin is the most superficial layer.

Question 6

What does peripheral and central mean?

Answer 6

Peripheral: pertaining to another surface. Central: pertaining to the middle of the body.
The veins are peripheral to the heart.
The heart is the most central organ of the body.