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AnatomyBasicsTerminologyProximal
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AnatomyBasicsTerminologyProximal

Proximal

Author: Roberto Grujičić, MD •
Last reviewed: December 05, 2022
Reading time: 1 minute

Recommended video: Directional terms and body planes [10:35]
Locating structures in your body is one of the main components of anatomy. Learn all terms used to describe location in the human body.
Proximal
Proximalis
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Synonyms: Proximal

The term proximal is a directional term that is used to describe a position of a structure that is closer either to the center of the trunk of the body or to the point of origin. In addition, it can also describe a position that is closer to the central aspect of a linear structure.

For example, the knee is proximal to the ankle, and the proximal aspect of a nerve is its origin. 

The opposite term of proximal is distal. This term describes the position of the  structure that is further away from the trunk or the point of origin.

Terminology English: Proximal
Latin: Proximalis
Examples Proximal phalanges, proximal part of prostatic urethra

Learn all directional terms and body planes with the following study unit:

Directional terms and body planes Explore study unit

Sources

All content published on Kenhub is reviewed by medical and anatomy experts. The information we provide is grounded on academic literature and peer-reviewed research. Kenhub does not provide medical advice. You can learn more about our content creation and review standards by reading our content quality guidelines.

Moore, K. L., Dalley, A. F., & Agur, A. (2017). Clinically oriented anatomy (8th ed.). Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.

Drake RL, Vogl AW, Mitchell WMA. Gray’s anatomy for students. 4th ed. 2020.

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