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Anatomy terms glossary page 6

Anatomy terms explained in plain English. 988 words and meanings, most familiar first.

Word	Meaning
meninges noun	The three membranes that envelop the brain and spinal cord.
meninx noun	A membrane, especially one of the three membranes lining the skull and vertebral canal and enclosing the brain and spinal cord in vertebrates.
merocrine adjective	Of or pertaining to certain exocrine glands that secrete without major damage to the secretory cells.
mesenchyme noun	That part of the mesoderm of an embryo that develops into connective tissue, bone, cartilage, etc
mesenteric adjective	Relating to the mesentery.
mesenteron noun	The midgut.
mesentery noun	The membrane that attaches the intestines to the wall of the abdomen, maintaining their position in the abdominal cavity, and supplying them with blood vessels, nerves, and lymphatics.
mesial adjective	Pertaining to the midline of the body.
mesothelial adjective	Of or pertaining to the mesothelium
metacarpus noun	The five bones that form the intermediate part of the hand between the fingers and the wrist.
metameric adjective	Exhibiting metamerism.
metanephros noun	The most posterior of the three pairs of embryonic renal organs developed in many vertebrates.
metopic adjective	Of or relating to the forehead or frontal bones; frontal.
midgut noun	The central loop of the alimentary canal of an embryo between the foregut and the hindgut, in humans and some other animals.
modiolus noun	The central core of the cochlea
monoaminergic adjective	That transmit impulses by employing the monoamine neurotransmitters catecholamine or indolamine
myal adjective	Relating to muscle.
myelinated adjective	Of nerves, having a coating of myelin.
myocardium noun	The muscular substance of the heart; the middle of the three layers forming the outer wall of the human heart.
myofibrillar adjective	Of or pertaining to myofibrils.
myoid adjective	Composed of, or resembling muscle
myology noun	The physiological study of muscles.
naevus noun	A pigmented, raised or otherwise abnormal area on the skin. Naevi may be congenital or acquired, and are always benign.
nasopharynx noun	The nasal part of the pharynx, lying behind the nose and above the level of the soft palate.
nephridium noun	The embryonic excretory organ that develops into the kidney.
nephron noun	The basic structural and functional unit of the kidney, which filters the blood in order to regulate chemical concentrations, and thereby produces urine.
neuroanatomic adjective	Of or pertaining to the anatomy of the nervous system
neuroanatomy noun	The anatomy of the nervous system.
neurofibril noun	Any of a group of microscopic fibrils through the body of a neuron that extend into the axon and dendrites
neurohumoral adjective	Of, pertaining to, or produced by a neurohumor
neurohypophysis noun	The posterior lobe of the pituitary gland, responsible for the release of oxytocin and antidiuretic hormone (ADH), also called vasopressin.
neuromuscular adjective	Pertaining to the voluntary or reflexive control of muscles by nerves.
nevus noun	Any of a number of different, usually benign, pigmented, raised or otherwise abnormal lesions of the skin.
nodal adjective	Of or relating to the nodus.
nympha noun	Each of the labia minora.
oculomotor adjective	Of or pertaining to movement of the eyeball.
oesophagus noun	The tube that carries food from the pharynx to the stomach.
olecranon noun	The bony process at the top of the ulna forming the point of the elbow.
oligodendroglia noun	Tissue (neuroglia) consisting of glial cells that are smaller than astrocytes and form the myelin sheath
omental adjective	Of or pertaining to an omentum or the omenta.
omentum noun	Either of two folds of the peritoneum that support the viscera.
opercular adjective	Relating to the operculum
orad adjective	Located towards the oral opening (the mouth).
oropharyngeal adjective	Of or pertaining to both the mouth and the pharynx.
oropharynx noun	The oral part of the pharynx, reaching from the uvula to the level of the hyoid bone.
ossicular adjective	Related to or composed of ossicles.
osteology noun	The scientific study of the morphology and pathology of bones.
oviducal adjective	Of or pertaining to oviducts.
oviduct noun	A duct through which an ovum passes from an ovary to the uterus or to the exterior.
palmary adjective	Palmar.
palpebral adjective	Of, pertaining to, or located on or near the eyelids.
papulose adjective	Having papulae; papillose
paraphysis noun	A derivative of the roof-plate of the telencephalon.
parenchymatous adjective	Consisting or or pertaining to parenchyma; parenchymal.
parotic adjective	On the side of the auditory capsule; near the external ear.
parotoid adjective	Resembling the parotid gland; applied especially to cutaneous glandular elevations above the ear in many toads and frogs.
pecten noun	The pubic bone.
pedate adjective	Having feet.
pennate noun	A penniform muscle
perforator noun	A perforating artery or vein
perichondrium noun	A dense layer of fibrous connective tissue surrounding the cartilage of developing bone
pericranial adjective	Of or pertaining to the pericranium.
pericranium noun	The membrane (or periosteum) which covers the outer surface of the skull.
perikaryal adjective	Relating to a perikaryon
perimysium noun	A layer of connective tissue which surrounds several muscle fibers into bundles
perineum noun	The region between the human genitalia, especially the scrotum, and anus. The male perineum is between the scrotum and anus. The female perineum is between the vagina and anus.
perineurium noun	The sheath of connective tissue that surrounds a fascicle of nerve fibres
periosteal adjective	Of or pertaining to the periosteum
periotic adjective	Located in, or pertaining to, the inner ear.
peritoneum noun	In mammals, the serous membrane lining the cavity of the abdomen and that is folded over the viscera.
peroneal adjective	Pertaining to the fibula or to the part of the leg containing it, the outside (lateral aspect) of the lower leg (that is, what anatomical terminology calls the leg, from knee to foot).
petrosal adjective	Of, pertaining to, or located near the petrous part of the temporal bone or the capsule of the inner ear.
petrous adjective	Of the dense portion of the temporal bone that protects the inner ear.
phalangeal adjective	Relating to a phalange
philtrum noun	The shallow vertical groove running from the nasal septum to the center of the upper lip.

Word	Meaning
physis noun	The epiphyseal plate, a hyaline cartilage plate in the metaphysis at each end of a long bone, found in children and adolescents.
pial adjective	Of or pertaining to the pia or pia mater.
pinnal adjective	Relating to a pinna
plafond noun	The tibial plafond.
plantar adjective	Relating to the sole of the foot.
pleura noun	Each of a pair of smooth serous membranes which line the thorax and envelop the lungs in humans and other mammals.
pollical adjective	Of the thumb
popliteal adjective	Of or pertaining to the popliteus (the area behind the knee).
poplitic adjective	Popliteal
postanal adjective	Situated behind, or posterior to, the anus.
postaxial adjective	Situated behind any transverse axis in the body of an animal; caudal; posterior.
postcava noun	The inferior vena cava.
postcaval adjective	Posterior to the vena cava.
posterolateral adjective	Situated on the side and toward the posterior aspect.
postoral adjective	Situated behind, or posterior to, the mouth
prebasal adjective	Anterior to the base
precaval adjective	Anterior to the vena cava.
preganglionic adjective	Describing the nerve fibres that supply a ganglion
premaxilla noun	Either of a pair of bones in front of the maxillary bones in the upper vertebrate jaw
preputial adjective	Of or pertaining to the prepuce.
primordium noun	An aggregation of cells that is the first stage in the development of an organ.
pronated adjective	Having one’s hand rotated so that the palm faces the same direction as the knob of the elbow.
pronation noun	The action of rotating the forearm so that the palm of the hand is turned down or back.
pronator noun	Any muscle that produces pronation
pronephros noun	A primitive kidney in the lamprey and similar animals, and in other vertebrate embryos
proprioceptor noun	A nerve ending that functions as a sensory receptor in muscles, tendons, joints and the inner ear; they respond to movement and position
prosencephalic adjective	Of or pertaining to the prosencephalon.
psoas noun	Either of two muscles, the psoas major and psoas minor, involved in flexion of the trunk.
pterygoid adjective	Of, pertaining to or lying in the region of the inferior part of the sphenoid bone of the vertebrate skull.
pubescence noun	A covering of fine, soft hairs.
pudendal adjective	Relating to or near the pudendum.
pudic adjective	Pertaining to the pudendum or external genital organs; pudendal.
pulmonate adjective	Having lungs or similar organs.
pulvinar noun	A prominence on the posterior part of the thalamus of the human brain.
punctate adjective	Marked by spots, dots, points, or punctures.
putamen noun	A round structure located at the base of the forebrain, regulating movement and learning.
pylorus noun	In vertebrates, including humans, a zone at the lower end of the stomach that leads to and opens into the duodenum.
quadriceps noun	A muscle having four heads, especially the large extensor at the front of the thigh.
radicular adjective	Pertaining to a root or to a radicle; specifically, pertaining to the roots of the spinal nerves, or arteries which accompany nerve roots into the spinal cord.
reticula noun	The reticular formation.
revehent adjective	Carrying away from an organ or structure (towards the heart).
rhinencephalic adjective	Of or pertaining to the rhinencephalon.
rhinencephalon noun	The part of the brain involved with olfaction.
rhomboideus noun	Any of the rhomboid muscles.
rostral adjective	Relating to the rostrum.
rotatores noun	A group of muscles that lie beneath the multifidus. Somewhat quadrilateral in form, they are present in all spinal regions but most prominent in the thoracic region; they are eleven in number on either side.
ruga noun	A fold, crease or wrinkle.
saccular adjective	Relating to a saccule.
sacculus noun	UK form of saccule.
sacrarium noun	The complex sacrum of any bird.
sacroiliac adjective	Relating to the sacrum and ilium, or to the region of the lower back where they are located.
sacrum noun	A large triangular bone at the base of the spine, located between the two ilia (wings of the pelvis) and formed from vertebrae that fuse in adulthood.
saphena noun	A prominent vein or nerve, the saphenous vein
saphenous adjective	Relating to, or situated near, the saphenous vein.
sarcolemma noun	A thin cell membrane that surrounds a striated muscle fibre.
sarcoplasm noun	The interfibrillar cytoplasm of striated muscle
sarcoplasmic adjective	Of or pertaining to the sarcoplasm
sarcous adjective	Fleshy; applied to the minute structural elements that make up muscle fibre
sartorius noun	A long, slender muscle that runs from the iliac crest along the anterior and medial aspects of the thigh to the proximal tibia, superficial to the quadriceps musculature; the longest muscle in the human body.
scaphoid noun	Carpal navicular bone.
sclera noun	The white of the eye; the tough outer coat of the eye that covers the eyeball except for the cornea.
scleral adjective	Of, or pertaining to, the sclera.
sclerous adjective	Hard; indurated; sclerotic
scutum noun	The kneecap.
sectorial adjective	Adapted for cutting
semilunar noun	The lunate bone, or semilunar bone.
seminiferous adjective	Conveying, containing, bearing, or producing semen or seminal fluid
sensorineural adjective	Of or pertaining to the sensory nerves
septal adjective	Of or pertaining to a septum.
sesamoid noun	A sesamoid bone or sesamoid cartilage.
sincipital adjective	Of or relating to the sinciput.
sinoatrial adjective	Relating to the venous sinus and the right atrium of the heart.
spermary noun	An organ in which spermatozoa are developed; a sperm gland; a testicle.
spermatheca noun	A small sac within the reproductive tract of some female invertebrates, such as insects, which stores sperm until it is used to fertilize the ova.
splenium noun	The thick posterior part of the corpus callosum of the brain.

Meanings from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0). Sources