Medical terms for the human body 101 | Pacific Medical ACLS

Medical terms for the human body 101 | Pacific Medical ACLS

Ahmed Raza

Written by , Caitlin Goodwin, DNP, RN, CNM, is a Board Certified Nurse-Midwife, Registered Nurse, and freelance writer. She has over twelve years of experience in nursing practice.

Learning the medical terminology for the body’s anatomy enables medical professionals to precisely specify medical and surgical conditions in clear terms. The goal is that your documentation is always as straightforward as possible. These terms allow healthcare professionals that read your work to understand what you are describing fully.

Popliteal Relating to the back of the knee
Sacral A large triangular bone at the base of the spine
Coccygeal “Tailbone” Located at the bottom of the spine.
Vertebral Relating to the vertebra or the spinal bones
Gluteal Relating to the buttocks
Lumbar Relating to the lower back
Scapular Relating to the shoulder blades
Digital Relating to the phalanges
Antecubital Relating to the surface of the arm anterior to the elbow
Carpal Relating to the wrist
Axillary Relating to the underarm
Buccal Relating to the cheek
Orbital Relating to the eye socket
Cervical Relating to the neck
Brachial Relating to the upper arm
Antebrachial Relating to the forearm
Occipital Relating to the base of the skull
Temporal Cranial region lateral to the frontal region
Frontal Relating to the forehead
Plantar Relating to the arch of the foot
Perineal The area between the anus and genitalia
Vulvar External female genitalia
Pelvis The lower part of the trunk between the abdomen and thighs.
Thorax Relating to the chest and back
Frontal Relating to the forehead
Cephalic Relating to the head
Cranial Relating to the skull
Nasal Relating to the nose
Pedal Relating to the feet
Palm (Palmar) the front side of the hand between the bases of the fingers and the wrist or the forefront of the foot
Dorsum The body’s posterior surface in the anatomical position, i.e., the hand or foot’s backside?

Test your knowledge

Question 1. What does the medical term 'popliteal' refer to?
  • The front of the knee
  • The back of the knee
  • The side of the knee
  • The kneecap
Question 2. Which medical term describes the area relating to the underarm?
  • Brachial
  • Antecubital
  • Axillary
  • Scapular
Question 3. What anatomical region does 'antebrachial' refer to?
  • The upper arm
  • The forearm
  • The wrist
  • The elbow
Question 4. Which term refers to the area between the anus and genitalia?
  • Vulvar
  • Perineal
  • Pelvis
  • Coccygeal
Question 5. What does the medical term 'dorsum' describe?
  • The front side of the hand
  • The arch of the foot
  • The back side of the hand or foot
  • The wrist area

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How we reviewed this article

Our experts continually monitor the medical science space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.

Current version
Jun 30, 2023

Copy edited by:

Copy editors
Dec 06, 2020

Written by:

Caitlin Goodwin
Caitlin Goodwin, DNP, RN, CNM, is a Board Certified Nurse-Midwife, Registered Nurse, and freelance writer. She has over twelve years of experience in nursing practice.