Anterior inferior

Anterior Inferior is a term used in anatomy to describe the position of structures in relation to others. It is a combination of two anatomical terms of location. 'Anterior' refers to the front, or towards the front of the body, while 'inferior' refers to a position below or lower than another part of the body proper.

Anterior

The term anterior is derived from Latin, and it means "before" or "in front of". In anatomy, it is used to describe something that is towards the front of the body. For example, the sternum is anterior to the heart. This term is used in both human and animal anatomy.

Inferior

The term inferior is used in anatomy to describe a position that is below or lower than another part of the body. It is the opposite of superior, which refers to a position above or higher than another part of the body. For example, the liver is inferior to the diaphragm.

Anterior Inferior

When combined, the term 'anterior inferior' is used to describe a specific location that is both towards the front and below another structure. For example, the anterior inferior iliac spine is a bony projection on the pelvis that is both towards the front (anterior) and below (inferior) the iliac crest.

See Also

• Anatomical terms of location
• Superior and inferior
• Anterior and posterior

References

• Moore, K.L., Dalley, A.F. & Agur, A.M.R. (2013). Clinically Oriented Anatomy, 7th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.