Medical Terminology Simplified

2–29 Use super/ior or infer/ior to complete the following statements that refer to

the relative position of one body structure to another body structure.

The chest is __________ / __________ to the stomach.

The stomach is __________ / __________ to the lungs.

The head is __________ / __________ to the neck.

2–30 The CF caud/omeans tail.In this sense, taildesignates a position toward

the end of the body, away from the head. In humans, it also refers to an infer/ior

position in the body or within a structure.

Combine caud+ -al to build a word that means pertaining to the tail.

__________ / __________

2–31 The terms proxim/al and dist/al are used as positional and directional

terms. Proxim/al describes a structure as being nearest the point of attachment to the

trunk or near the beginning of a structure. Dist/al describes a structure as being far

from the point of attachment to the trunk or from the beginning of a structure.

Identify the terms in this frame that mean

nearest the point of attachment:____________________ / __________

farthest from the point of attachment:__________ / __________

2–32 The directional element proxim/omeans near or nearest the point of attach-

ment; dist/omeans far or farthest from the point of attachment.The knee is proxim/al

to the foot; the palm is dist/al to the elbow.

To describe a structure nearest the point of attachment, use the directional term

____________________ / __________.

To describe a structure as being farthest from the point of attachment, use the

directional term __________ / __________.

2–33 Some directional terms, such as ab/duction and ad/duction, indicate move-

ment away from the body and movement toward the body.

The prefix ab- means from, away from;the suffix -duction meansact of leading, bring-

ing, conducting.Thus, ab/ductionmeans movement away from the body.

Can you determine the directional term in this frame that means movement toward

the body? __________ / ____________________

Boldfaceindicates a word root or combining form. Blueindicates a suffix. Pinkindicates a prefix.

38 CHAPTER 2• Body Structure

ad/duction

ă-DŬK-shŭn

caud/al

KAWD-ăl

proxim/al

PRŎK-sĭm-ăl

dist/al

DĬS-tăl

proxim/al

PRŎK-sĭm-ăl

dist/al

DĬS-tăl

super/ior

soo-PĒ-rē-or

infer/ior

ĭn-FĒ-rē-or

super/ior

soo-PĒ-rē-or