Orientation and Directional Terms

Question	Answer
Superior (cranial)	Toward the upper part of a structure or the body; above
Inferior (caudal)	Away from the head end or toward the lower part of a structure or the body; below
Anterior (ventral)	Toward or at the front of the body; in front of
Posterior (dorsal)	Toward or at the back of the body; behind
Medial	Toward or at the mid-line of the body;on the inner side of
Lateral	Away from the mid-line of the body; on the outer side of
Intermediate	Between a more medial and more lateral structure
Distal	Farther from the origin of a body part or the point of attachment of a limb to the body trunk
Proximal	Closer to the origin of a body part or the point of attachment of a limb to the body trunk
Superficial (external)	Toward or at the body surface
Deep (internal)	Away from the body surface; more internal

Resource summary

	Created by jordanashley145 over 10 years ago