General Terms and Definitions
Directional Terms
100

Structure; to cut apart; parts of the body and their arrangement 

What is Anatomy?

100

Something near or towards the front (vs) something near or towards the back 

What is Anterior (vs) posterior

200

Function; study of the nature of the body 

What is Physiology?

200

Referring to the front part of the body (vs) referring to the back part of the body 

What is Ventral (vs) Dorsal 

300

The study of anatomy at the visual or macroscopic level

What is Gross Anatomy?

300

Toward the upper end of the body (vs) toward the lower part of the body 

What is Superior/Cranial (vs) Inferior/Caudal 

400

The study of cells 

What is Cytology?

400

Below the surface of the skin (vs) beneath the layers of tissue and muscle

What is Superficial (vs) Deep

500

The study of tissues

What is Histology?

500

Referring to something closer to the torso (vs) referring to things farther away from the torso 

What is Proximal (vs) Distal?

600

On a small scale, _____ increases the size of the body of an organism. 

On a large scale, ______ increases the number of cells within an organism 

What is Growth?

600

Referring to a position away from the midline of the body (vs) referring to a position toward the midline of the body 

What is Lateral (vs) Medial?

700

A net increase in object size or mass, rather than just a quantitative increase in size. 

What is Development?

700

Another term for referring to an area towards the head of the body 

What is Cephalic?