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Anatomy (Greek anatomē, 'dissection') is the branch of biology concerned with the study of the structure of organisms and their parts. Anatomy is a branch of natural science which deals with the structural organization of living things. It is an old science, having its beginnings in prehistoric times. Anatomy is inherently tied to developmental biology, embryology, comparative anatomy, evolutionary biology, and phylogeny, as these are the processes by which anatomy is generated, both over immediate and long-term timescales. Anatomy and physiology, which study the structure and function of organisms and their parts respectively, make a natural pair of related disciplines, and are often studied together. Human anatomy is one of the essential basic sciences that are applied in medicine.



Selected general anatomy article

Title page of American 20th edition (1918)

Gray's Anatomy is a reference book of human anatomy written by Henry Gray and illustrated by Henry Vandyke Carter, published in London in 1858. It has gone through multiple revised editions and the current edition, the 42nd (October 2020), remains a standard reference, often considered "the doctors' bible".

Earlier editions were called Anatomy: Descriptive and Surgical, Anatomy of the Human Body and Gray's Anatomy: Descriptive and Applied, but the book's name is commonly shortened to, and later editions are titled, Gray's Anatomy. The book is widely regarded as an extremely influential work on the subject. (Full article...)

Selected anatomical feature

A woman's nostrils

A nostril (or naris /ˈnɛərɪs/, plural nares /ˈnɛərz/) is one of the two channels of the nose, from the point where they bifurcate to the external opening. In birds and mammals, they contain branched bones or cartilages called turbinates, whose function is to warm air on inhalation and remove moisture on exhalation. Fish do not breathe through their noses, but they do have two (but cyclostomes have merged into one) which small holes used for smelling, which can also be referred to as nostrils.


The nostrils are separated by the septum. The septum can sometimes be deviated, causing one nostril to appear larger than the other. With extreme damage to the septum and columella, the two nostrils are no longer separated and form a single larger external opening. (Full article...)

Selected organ

Splanchnic is usually used to describe organs in the abdominal cavity.

It is used when describing:

Selected biography

William Harvey

William Harvey (1 April 1578 – 3 June 1657) was an English physician who made influential contributions in anatomy and physiology. He was the first known physician to describe completely, and in detail, the systemic circulation and properties of blood being pumped to the brain and the rest of the body by the heart, though earlier writers, such as Realdo Colombo, Michael Servetus, and Jacques Dubois, had provided precursors of the theory. (Full article...)

Selected images


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Anatomy(28 C, 137 P)
Anatomists(3 C, 7 P)
Anatomical planes(3 P)
Anatomy journals(13 P)
Anatomy portals(14 P)
Anatomy websites(8 P)
Animal anatomy(23 C, 130 P)
Body Regions(4 C)
Brain anatomy(5 P)
Cell anatomy(6 C, 104 P)
Comparative anatomy(25 P)
Embryology(11 C, 173 P)
Eye anatomy(4 C, 3 P)
Histology(9 C, 114 P)
History of anatomy(3 C, 57 P)
Human anatomy(20 C, 105 P)
Anatomy literature(2 C)
Organs (anatomy)(21 C, 32 P)
Anatomical pathology(2 C, 114 P)
Plant anatomy(7 C, 145 P)
Anatomical preservation(2 C, 16 P)
Sexual anatomy(6 C, 30 P)
Anatomical simulation(29 P)
Tissues (biology)(9 C, 78 P)
Anatomy stubs(12 C, 265 P)


Some Wikipedians have formed a project to better organize information in articles related to Anatomy. This page and its subpages contain their suggestions; it is hoped that this project will help to focus the efforts of other Wikipedians. If you would like to help, please swing by the talk page.

Good article new good articles since last newsletter include Thyroid, Hypoglossal nerve, Axillary arch, Human brain, Cerebrospinal fluid, Accessory nerve, Gallbladder, and Interventricular foramina (neuroanatomy)
Essay There is Introduction to Anatomy on Wikipedia published in the Journal of Anatomy [1]
Before the featured portal process ceased in 2017, this had been designated as a featured portal. We reach two projects goals of 20 good articles, and less than half of our articles as stubs, in July 2017. Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Anatomy/Archive 11#Congratulations to all
Project page A discussion about two preferred section titles takes place here.

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