What term describes the position that is away from the midline of the body?

The term that describes the position that is away from the midline of the body is "lateral." In anatomical terminology, when referring to body position, "lateral" indicates a position that is toward the sides of the body, farther from the centerline. For example, if considering the limbs of an animal, the toes are located laterally to the midline of the body.

In contrast, the term "medial" refers to being nearer to the midline of the body, which is the opposite of lateral. The terms "dorsal" and "ventral" are used to indicate positions relative to the body’s surface, where dorsal refers to the back and ventral to the belly. Understanding these terms is crucial for accurately describing anatomical positions and orientations, which is essential in veterinary medicine for assessing and communicating about animal health and procedures.