When you are sick, or just need to ask someone a question related to the human body, it is important that you are able to explain what the matter is.
Whether you’re talking to a doctor, pharmacist or friend, by email, telephone or any other means. Thus, it is vital that you know the terms for different body parts and how to use them in conversation.
I have broken down the different body parts into sections, and given example sentences showing how to use them in conversation.
HEAD AND SHOULDERS
HAIR – The fine threadlike strands growing from skin, especially on a person’s head.
- Your brother pulled my hair really hard, and now my head hurts!
HEAD – The uppermost part of the human body, containing the brain, mouth and sense organs.
- I accidentally walked into the door and hit my head really hard! It feels sore now.
FOREHEAD – The part of the face above the eyebrows.
- I have a lot of spots on my forehead, because I eat too many sugary sweets.
EYEBROW – The strip of hair growing above a person’s eye socket.
- He raised his eyebrow in a questioning gesture.
EYELASH – The short curved hairs growing on the edge of a person’s eyelid, serving to protect the eyes from dust particles.
- My eyelashes are falling out from using too much mascara!
EYELID – The upper and lower folds of skin that cover the eye when closed.
- My eyelids feel very heavy; I am so sleepy, that I cannot keep my eyes open any longer…
EYE – Globular organs in the head through which we see; the visible part typically almond-shaped on animals with eyelids.
- My cat is blind in one eye.
CHEEK – Either side of the face, below the eye.
- Ouch! I just bit the inside of my cheek by chewing my food too fast.
JAW – Upper and lower bony structures that move when talking or eating, forming the framework of the mouth and containing the teeth.
- I have a stiff jaw because someone punched my face yesterday.
NOSE – The part projecting above the mouth on the face of a person, containing the nostrils and used for breathing and smelling.
- Last week, two burglars stole my wallet and phone, then punched me in my face and broke my nose, because I tried to stop them!
NOSTRIL – The two openings of the nasal passage that admit air into your lungs and allow you to smell.
- There is blood coming out of my nostrils and I’m not sure why!
LIPS – The two fleshy parts that form the upper and lower edges of the opening of the mouth.
- My lips are very dry because I feel thirsty. Can I have some water please?
TOOTH (singular) / TEETH (plural) – Hard enamel-coated structures in the jaws of most vertebrates, used for biting and chewing.
- I cracked my tooth on a hard nut! I need to visit a dentist.
TONGUE – The fleshy muscular organ in the mouth of a mammal, used for tasting, licking, swallowing and (in humans) articulating speech.
- I bit down on my tongue while eating French fries, and now it is bleeding!
MOUTH – The opening in the lower part of the human face, surrounded by the lips, through which food is taken, and from which speech and other sounds are emitted.
- I ate some very spicy food and now my mouth is burning!
CHIN – The protruding part of the face below the mouth, formed by the apex of the lower jaw.
- I have a big mosquito bite on my chin.
THROAT – The passage that leads from the back of the mouth of a person or animal to the stomach, or to the lungs.
- I have a sore throat and cannot swallow food properly.
FACE – The front part of a person’s head, from the forehead to the chin.
- You should wash your face thoroughly with soap every day.
NECK – The part of a person’s body connecting the head to the rest of the body.
- I was wearing a necklace around my neck this morning and now it’s gone! I think I lost it in the park…
SHOULDER – The upper joint of the human arm and the part of the body between this and the neck.
- I think I broke my shoulder while exercising. It hurts to move my arm!
ARMS AND HANDS
FINGERNAIL – The flattish hard part on the upper surface of the tip of each finger.
- I got my finger stuck in the door and my fingernail broke.
FINGER – Each of the four slender jointed parts attached to either hand.
- I accidentally cut my finger while chopping vegetables.
THUMB – The short, thick first digit of the human hand, set lower and apart from the other four.
- He pricked my thumb with a needle.
PALM – The inner surface of the hand between the wrist and fingers.
- He held the spider in the palm of his hand.
HAND – The end part of a person’s arm beyond the wrist, including the palm, fingers and thumb.
- He held my hand tightly all the way to the station.
WRIST – The joint connecting the hand with the forearm.
- I broke my wrist playing badminton last week.
FOREARM – The part of a person’s arm extending from the elbow to the wrist.
- My forearms feel sore after rock climbing today!
ELBOW – The joint between the forearm and the upper arm.
- He rammed his elbow into my ribs!
UPPER ARM – The part of the arm between the elbow and shoulders.
- My upper arms are sore after that tug-of-war game!
ARM – Each of the two upper limbs of the human body from the shoulder to the hand.
- She held her newborn baby in her arms for the first time.
THE TRUNK OR TORSO
CHEST – The front surface of a person’s body between the neck and the abdomen.
- My chest hurts a lot every time I cough.
STOMACH – The internal organ in which most of the food digestion occurs.
- I feel sick in my stomach; I think I ate too much cake!
BACK – The rear surface of the human body from the shoulders to the hips.
- If you don’t do sit-ups properly, you could injure your back.
WAIST – The part of the human body below the chest and above the hips.
- That dress really shows off your lovely waist.
ABDOMEN – The part of the body containing the digestive organs. In humans, it is bounded by the diaphragm and the pelvis.
- She felt a sharp pain in her abdomen every time she moved.
HIPS – A projection of the pelvis and upper thigh bone on each side of the human body.
- Women generally have wider hips than men.
BOTTOM – The buttocks; two round fleshy parts that form the rear area of a human trunk.
- He slipped on the icy road and fell flat on his bottom.
LEGS AND FEET
LEG – Each of the limbs on which a person or animal walks and stands.
- I broke my leg in a motorbike accident.
THIGH – The part of the human leg between the hip and the knee.
- My thighs are very sore after running that marathon!
KNEE – The joint between the thigh and the lower leg in humans.
- I damaged my left knee while playing football last week.
CALF – The fleshy part at the back of a person’s leg below the knee.
- I have very strong calf muscles because I run a lot.
SHIN – The front of the leg below the knee.
- She kicked me on my shin with her pointy high heeled shoes!
ANKLE – The joint connecting the foot with the leg.
- I twisted my ankle yesterday; it is still really swollen.
HEEL – The back part of the foot below the ankle.
- I accidentally stepped on some broken glass, and I think there is still a tiny piece stuck in my heel.
FOOT (Singular) / FEET (Plural) – The lower extremity of the leg, below the ankle, on which a person stands or walks.
- My feet feel squashed; these shoes are too tight for me.
TOE – Any of the five digits at the end of a human foot.
- He cut his big toe on a sharp stone.
TOENAIL – The nail at the tip of each toe.
- I need to cut my toenails; they are so long now!
OTHER WORDS RELATED TO PARTS OF THE BODY
BLOOD – The red liquid that circulates in the arteries and veins of humans, carrying oxygen to and carbon dioxide from the tissues of the body.
- I donate blood every year to help other people.
BONE – Any of the pieces of hard, whitish tissue making up the human skeleton.
- I am very lucky that I survived the accident, and didn’t break any bones!
MUSCLE – A band or bundle of fibrous tissue that has the ability to contract, producing movement in or maintaining the position of parts of the body.
- I think I might have pulled a muscle in my leg from running too much.
SKIN – The thin layer of tissue forming the natural outer covering of the body of a person.
- My skin is sunburnt because I fell asleep on the beach yesterday!
LEFT – on, toward or relating to the side of a human body that is to the west when the person is facing north.
- I can’t see clearly in my left eye.
RIGHT – on, toward or relating to the side of a human body that is to the east when the person is facing north.
- My right-hand thumb is swollen because a bee stung me!
JOINT – A structure in the body at which two parts of the skeleton are fitted together.
- My joints have been aching since I ran the London Marathon.