In anatomical terminology, what does 'lateral' refer to?

In anatomical terminology, 'lateral' specifically refers to a position that is farther from the midline of the body. This term is used to describe the relative positions of structures within the body to one another. For example, the ears are lateral to the eyes, meaning they are located further away from the midline dividing the body into left and right halves. Understanding this concept is fundamental in fields such as medicine and anatomy since it is crucial for accurately describing the locations of organs, injuries, and other anatomical features. This distinction is particularly useful in clinical settings when discussing conditions or procedures that might affect certain areas of the body.