Anatomical position9
Term
Meaning and example
ab-
Away from. Abduct: move away from midline
ad-
Towards. Adduct: move towards midline
adeno-
Related to glands
afferent
Travelling towards. Afferent nerve impulse: towards the brain and spinal cord
anastomosis
Network (usually arteries or veins) receiving inputs from more than one source (plural: anastomoses)
anterior
Front (with reference to anatomical position); see ventral
-blast
Primitive cell or structure which gives rise to other cell type or structure. Osteoblast: primitive bone-forming cell. See-cyte
brachial
Pertaining to the arm (shoulder–elbow)
branchial
Associated with the entrance to the digestive system derived from primitive buccopharyngeal structures. Branchial structures are the successors of the gill apparatus in fish
bronchial
Pertaining to the bronchi
cancer
Malignant tumour
carcinoma
Cancer of epithelial (rather than connective tissue) origin
cardiac, -um
Heart
caudal
Nearer the tail (or where it would be). The kidneys are caudal to the diaphragm
cephalic
Nearer to, or pertaining to the head
coronal
Side-to-side plane which divides the structure into a front portion and a rear portion (not necessarily equal)
cranial
Nearer the head
-cyte
Cell. Mature cell type. Osteocyte: cell type found in bone. See -blast
deep
Far, or further, from the surface (see superficial)
distal to
Further away from. The foot is distal to the thigh (see proximal)
dorsal
Towards the back (with reference to anatomical position); similar to posterior in erect humans
-ectomy
Removal. Appendicectomy: removal of the appendix
efferent
Travelling away from. Efferent nerve impulse: away from the central nervous system
endo-
On the inside of. Endocardium: lining of the heart. Endometrium: lining of the uterus. Endoscopy: looking inside
endocrine
Secretion by a cell into its blood vessels (see exocrine)
epi-
On the surface of. Epithelium: all external surfaces. Epidermis: the epithelium of the skin
eversion
Turning the sole of the foot outwards (laterally)
ex-
Out of
exocrine
Secretion by a cell or group of cells into a duct for transport elsewhere (see endocrine)
extend
(Usually) straighten
extra-
Outside. Extracapsular: outside the capsule
fascia
Two meanings:
Loose connective and fatty tissue, of variable thickness: superficial fascia, prevertebral fascia
Fairly tough sheath or membrane: deep fascia, clavipectoral fascia
fasciculus
Group of axons of nerves all serving similar functions (same as tract)
flex
(Usually) bend
fistula
Artificial connection between two epithelial tubes
foramen
Opening or passage, often through bone
fossa
Depression, hollow, pit
ganglion
A swelling. In the context of the nervous system, its commonest usage, a ganglion is a collection of nerve cell bodies in the peripheral nervous system. It may be a sensory ganglion (without synapses), or an autonomic ganglion (with synapses). See nucleus
gyrus
Eminence of brain tissue between two sulci (see sulcus)
haemo-
Blood. Haemostasis: stagnation or sluggish flow of blood
hiatus
Gap, opening
hilum
Place where vessels and nerves enter
hyper-
Above, increase. Hyperplasia: increased cell division. Hypertrophy: increase in size (see hypo-) 
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Words and the anatomical position
2.2 Singular and plural9
2.3 Colloquial or correct?9
Studying the medical sciences involves learning a new language, more than half of which is anatomical. A brief excursion into words and grammar is both desirable and necessary, and Table 2.1 gives some of the most commonly occurring words, prefixes and suffixes that you are unlikely to have met before in this context.