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Anatomy & Physiology vocabulary · Body Regions and Directional Terms

Medial

Meaning in anatomy & physiology, with examples

/ˈmiːdiəl/adjectiveCore term

In anatomy & physiology, medial means: Closer to the midline, the imaginary vertical line that divides the body into left and right halves. For example, the nose is medial to the eyes.

In Turkish: iç yan, orta hatta yakın, medial

How it is used

Used with 'to' and in the names of structures, such as the medial malleolus at the ankle or the medial meniscus in the knee. The opposite is lateral. Turkish clinicians usually keep the word as 'medial'.

Example sentences

  1. The big toe is on the medial side of the foot.

  2. She tore her medial meniscus while playing football.

Common collocations

  • medial to
  • medial side
  • medial border
  • medial meniscus
  • medially
  • lateralFarther from the midline of the body; toward the side. For example, the ears are lateral to the eyes.
  • anatomical positionThe standard reference posture used to describe the body: standing upright, facing forward, arms at the sides with the palms facing forward, and feet together.
  • sagittal planeAn imaginary vertical plane that divides the body into left and right parts. The midsagittal (median) plane runs exactly down the middle and creates equal halves.

More terms: Body Regions and Directional Terms

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.