Chapter 2 Medical Terminology Flashcards

Front

anterior (an-TEER-ee-ur) or ventral (VEN-truhl)

Back

Pertaining to the front of the body or body part (the side where the abdomen is located).

Front

posterior (pahs-TEE-ree-ur) or dorsal (DOR-suhl)

Back

Pertaining to the back of the body or body part.

Front

superior (soo-PEE-ree-ur) or cephalic (se-FAL-ik)

Back

Pertaining to an area above (toward the head).

Front

inferior (in-FEER-ee-ur) or caudal (KAWD-uhl)

Back

Pertaining to an area below (toward the tail end of an organism).

Front

medial (MEED-ee-uhl)

Back

Pertaining to/in the direction of the midline of the body.

Front

lateral (LAT-ur-uhl)

Back

Pertaining to/in the direction of the side of the body (away from the midline).

Front

proximal (PRAHK-si-muhl)

Back

Pertaining to/in a direction nearer to the torso (the main part of the body—contains the chest, abdomen, pelvis, and back).

Front

distal (DIS-tuhl)

Back

Pertaining to/in a direction farther away from the torso.

Front

coronal (KOR-uh-nuhl or kuh-ROH-nuhl) or frontal plane

Back

A vertical plane that divides the body into front (anterior) and back (posterior) sections.

Front

midsagittal (MID-SAJ-uh-tuhl) or median (MEED-ee-uhn) plane

Back

A vertical plane that divides the body into equal right and left halves.