Body Relationship Terms

posterior

back part of the body or organ

visceral

covering of an organ

caudad

refers to parts away from the head of the body

plantar

sole of the foot

palmar

palm of the hand

contralateral

part or parts on the opposite side of the body

external

part outside of an organ or outside of the body

peripheral

parts at or near the surface, edge or outside of the body

deep

parts far from the surface

distal

parts furthest from the point of attachment, point of reference, origin or beginning

proximal

parts nearest the point of attachment, point of reference, origin

anterior

forward or front part of the body

inferior

nearer the feet or situated below

superior

nearer the head or situated above

superficial

part near the skin or surface

ipsilateral

part on the same side of the body

internal

part within or on the inside of an organ

cephalad

parts toward the head of the body

lateral

refers to parts away from the median plane of the body or away from the middle of a part to the right or the left

dorsal

refers to the back part of the body or the organ

ventral

refers to the forward or front part of the body or forward part of an organ

central

refers to the middle area or main part of an organ

dorsum

top or anterior surface of the foot, or to the back or posterior surface of the hand

medial

towards the median plane of the body or toward the middle of a body part