real bodywork 2026Anatomy Terms
Anatomy Terms: A Comprehensive Glossary for Massage Therapists
This glossary preserves and modernizes a full classical anatomy vocabulary used in massage therapy, bodywork, and manual therapy education. Definitions are written to be clinically meaningful, readable, and consistent while retaining the full conceptual scope of the original material.
A
Abduction — Movement away from the midline of the body.
Acromion — The terminal projection of the scapular spine, forming the highest point of the shoulder.
Adduction — Movement toward the midline of the body.
Agonist — The prime mover; the muscle primarily responsible for initiating a movement.
Ala — Wing.
Analogy — A comparative anatomical relationship where different structures perform similar functions (e.g., bird wing and insect wing).
Anatomical Position — Standard reference posture: standing upright, arms at sides, palms facing forward.
Anguli — Corner of the mouth.
Antagonist — A muscle that opposes or controls the action of an agonist.
Anterior — Toward the front of the body.
Aponeurosis — A broad, flat tendon-like sheet of connective tissue.
Appendicular — Relating to the limbs and their attachments.
Articulation — A joint or junction between bones.
Attachments — Regions where muscle or fascia blends with periosteum to fix muscle to bone.
Axial — Relating to the central axis of the body (spine, skull, rib cage).
Axis — The anatomical longitudinal reference line following the vertebral curves.
B
Belly — The fleshy, contractile part of a muscle.
Bilateralism — Mirror-image development on both sides of the midline.
Bursa — A synovial fluid–filled sac that reduces friction between tissues.
C
Calcaneus — The heel bone.
Carpus / Carpal — The wrist.
Cartilage — Non-bony connective tissue forming joint surfaces and flexible skeletal structures.
Caudal — Toward the tail or lower end of the body.
Cephs — Heads of a muscle (separate attachment points).
Chordate — An animal possessing a notochord and dorsal nerve cord.
Collagen — The primary structural protein of connective tissue.
Compression — Forces that compact or crush matter.
Concha — Shell-shaped.
Condyle — A rounded articular surface of a bone.
Contraction — Shortening or tension development in muscle via sliding filaments.
Cornu — Horn.
Coronal (Frontal) Plane — A vertical plane dividing the body into front and back halves.
Costal — Relating to the ribs.
Cranial — Toward the head.
Crest — A prominent ridge of bone.
Crus / Crura — Leg.
D
Depressor — A muscle that lowers a structure.
Diaphysis — The shaft of a long bone.
Digastric — A muscle with two bellies.
Digitation — A finger-like division of muscle or tendon.
Distal — Farther from the trunk or origin.
Dorsal — Toward the back side of the body.
E
Eminence — A raised bony projection.
Epi-axial — The dorsal division of the trunk musculature.
Epicondyle — A bony projection near a condyle.
Epiphysis — The end of a long bone.
Erector — A muscle that straightens or raises.
Eukaryotic — A cell containing a nucleus and organelles.
Extensor — A muscle that increases joint angle.
Extrinsic — Originating outside the structure acted upon.
Exvaginate — To exit a sheath or covering.
F
Facet — A small flat articular surface.
Fascia — Fibrous connective tissue that envelops and connects structures.
Fenestration — A window-like opening.
Fiber — A contractile muscle cell.
Flexor — A muscle that decreases joint angle.
Foramen — An opening in a bone.
Fossa — A depression or hollow.
G
Glenoid Fossa — The shallow socket of the shoulder joint.
H
Head — A separate muscle attachment.
Hiatus — An opening.
Homology — Same structure, different function across species.
Hypo-axial — Ventral division of trunk musculature.
I
Ilium — The upper, flared part of the pelvic bone.
Inferior — Below.
Infra — Below.
Inguinal — Relating to the groin.
Insertion — The more movable attachment of a muscle.
Inter — Between.
Intrinsic — Entirely contained within a region.
Ischium — The lower posterior pelvic bone.
J
Joint — The junction between bones.
Joint Capsule — The fibrous sac enclosing a synovial joint.
Biarticular Muscle — A muscle crossing two joints.
Monarticular Muscle — A muscle crossing one joint.
L
Labia — Lips.
Labrum — A rim of cartilage deepening a joint socket.
Lamina — A thin layer or plate.
Lateral — Away from the midline.
Levator — A muscle that lifts.
Leverage — Mechanical advantage produced by bones acting as levers.
Ligament — Connective tissue binding bone to bone.
Line — A linear bony ridge.
Longitudinal Axis — The lengthwise axis of the body.
Lunar — Moon-shaped.
M
Magnus — Large.
Main Ray — Primary structural bone series of a limb.
Major — Larger.
Malleolus — The ankle prominences of tibia or fibula.
Mandible — The lower jaw.
Manubrium — The upper portion of the sternum.
Maxilla — The upper jaw.
Medial — Toward the midline.
Median Plane — The sagittal plane dividing left and right halves.
Meniscus — A crescent-shaped cartilage pad.
Metamerism — Segmented body organization.
Metazoan — A multicellular animal.
Minor — Smaller.
Myo — Relating to muscle.
N
Neural — Relating to nerves.
Notochord — Embryonic axial support rod.
O
Oblique — Angled.
Occipital — Relating to the back of the skull.
Olecranon — The bony tip of the elbow.
Orbicular — Circular.
Origin — The more fixed attachment of a muscle.
Os — Bone.
P
Pedicle — The base of the vertebral arch.
Pennaform — Feather-shaped muscle arrangement.
Perineum — The region between genitals and anus.
Periosteum — The connective tissue covering bone.
Phalanx — A finger or toe bone.
Pharynx — The throat.
Posterior — Toward the back.
Process — A bony projection.
Profundus — Deep.
Prone — Lying face down.
Proprioception — Sense of body position and movement.
Proximal — Closer to the trunk.
Q
Quadratus — Square-shaped.
R
Ramus — A branch of bone.
Rectus — Straight.
Rotation — Movement around an axis.
S
Sagittal Plane — A vertical plane dividing left and right.
Sciatic — Relating to the hip or leg.
Septum — A dividing wall.
Serratus — Saw-toothed.
Sesamoid — Sesame-seed-shaped bone.
Shaft — The long body of a bone.
Skeleton — The bony framework of the body.
Slip — An accessory muscle attachment.
Sphenoid — Wedge-shaped.
Spine — A sharp bony ridge.
Splenius — Bandage-like.
Squama — Scale-like.
Styloid — Stylus-shaped process.
Subcutaneous — Just beneath the skin.
Sulcus — A groove.
Superior — Above.
Supra — Above.
Supine — Lying face up.
Suture — A fibrous joint between skull bones.
Symphysis — A joint united by fibrocartilage.
Synergist — A muscle that assists another.
Synovial Fluid — Lubricating fluid inside joints.
T
Tarsal — Relating to the ankle.
Tendon — Connective tissue attaching muscle to bone.
Tendon Sheath — A synovial-lined tunnel for a tendon.
Tensile — Pulling force.
Tensor — A muscle that tenses tissue.
Tetrapod — A four-limbed vertebrate.
Thorax — The rib cage.
Torque — Twisting force.
Translation — One type of motion converted into another.
Transverse Plane — A horizontal plane dividing top and bottom.
Trochanter — A large bony projection for muscle attachment.
Trochlea — A pulley-shaped joint surface.
Tubercle — A small bony prominence.
Tuberosity — A large bony prominence.
V
Ventral — Toward the front.
Vertebra — A spinal bone.
Vertebrate — An animal with a spine.
Visceral — Relating to internal organs.
Z
Zygoma — The cheekbone.
Further Reading and Clinical Background
If you want to learn how anatomy fits together in a clear, practical system for massage and bodywork, see the Easy Anatomy online course. To explore more anatomy and clinical reference material, visit the Massage & Anatomy Reference Library. This glossary is part of the broader framework described in Anatomy for Bodyworkers.