Latin-derived terms for directions

If dextrad, sinistrad, and mediad mean towards the right, left, and middle respectively, what would the related terms be for up and down/top and bottom?

Solution 1:

You're looking for either cephalad and caudad:

cephalad, adjective. Referring to the direction of the head; towards the head. Cephalad is being increasingly replaced by “toward the head” in the working medical parlance.

(Segen's Medical Dictionary, via TheFreeDictionary.com)

caudad, directed toward the tail or distal end; opposite of cephalad. (Miller-Keane Encyclopedia and Dictionary of Medicine, Nursing, and Allied Health, Seventh Edition; via TheFreeDictionary.com)

or perhaps dorsad and ventrad:

dorsad, toward the back.

(Miller-Keane Encyclopedia and Dictionary of Medicine, Nursing, and Allied Health, Seventh Edition; via TheFreeDictionary.com)

ventrad, toward a belly, venter or ventral aspect.

(Miller-Keane Encyclopedia and Dictionary of Medicine, Nursing, and Allied Health, Seventh Edition; via TheFreeDictionary.com)

Which pair you pick depends on what nominal direction the body is facing.

Note: cephalad is Greek in origin; the others are Latin.