Which term means away from the midline of the body?

• A. Medial
• B. Lateral
• C. Distal
• D. Proximal

Answer: (B)

Understanding body directions: the midline is an imaginary line that splits the body into left and right halves. Terms describe where a structure sits relative to that line. Lateral means away from the midline, so something located to the side of the body or further from the center is described as lateral. Medial would be toward the midline, while proximal and distal describe distance along a limb: proximal is closer to the trunk, distal is farther away from the trunk. So when asked for the term meaning away from the midline, lateral is the correct choice.