Directional Terms

body parts above another body part

• Inferior
• Superior
• Anterior
• Posterior

body parts below other body parts

• Inferior
• Superior
• Anterior
• Posterior

body parts near the head

• Caudal
• Cranial
• Proximal
• Distal

body parts near the sacral region (tail)

• Caudal
• Cranial
• Proximal 
• Distal

body parts close to the midline

• ventral
• dorsal
• medial
• lateral

body parts away from the midline

• dorsal 
• ventral
• medial
• lateral

body parts close to the point of reference or close to the origin

• proximal
•  distal 
• ventral
• dorsal

body parts distant from the point of reference or point of origin

• proximal
• distal
• medial
• lateral

body parts on the front of the body

• anterior/ventral
• posterior/dorsal
• anterior/dorsal
• posterior/ventral 

body parts on the back of the body

• anterior/ventral
• posterior/dorsal
• anterior/dorsal
• posterior/ventral