Definition

Proximal means nearer to the center (trunk of the body) or to the point of attachment to the body. If another reference point is given, such as the heart, the proximal point of another organ or extremity is the point closest to the heart, central rather than peripheral.

Proximal is the opposite of distal.

References

Taber's Medical Dictionary Online website. www.tabers.com/tabersonline. Accessed March 15, 2023.