Whenever you see an anatomical drawing, like the one below, you’re looking at the anatomic position. This standard position (standing straight, looking forward, arms at your side, and facing forward) keeps everyone on the same page when you’re talking anatomy and physiology. Keep this list handy of anatomic descriptive terms that appear regularly in anatomy text:
Anterior: Front, or toward the front
Posterior: Back, or toward the back
Dorsal: Back, or toward the back (think of a whale’s dorsal fin)
Ventral: Front, or toward the front (think of an air vent)
Lateral: On the side, or toward the side
Medial/median: Middle, or toward the middle
Proximal: Nearer to the point of attachment (such as the armpit)
Distal: Farther from the point of attachment
Superior: Situated above, or higher than, another body part
Inferior: Situated below, or lower than, another body part
Peripheral: Away from the center
