Medical terms for the human body 101 | Pacific Medical ACLS

Ahmed Raza

Written by Caitlin Goodwin DNP, CNM, RN

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? |