| Direction Name | Relative To | Description |
|---|
| up | planet | away from center |
| down | planet | towards center |
| north | planet | towards north pole holding height constant |
| south | planet | towards south pole holding height constant |
| west | planet | up × north |
| east | planet | -west |
| inferior | body | towards the feet (when standing) |
| superior | body | towards the top of the head (when standing) |
| cranial | body | towards the head, curving to finish normal to the face |
| caudal | body | towards the butt / tail |
| anterior/ventral | body | towards the belly / chest |
| posterior/dorsal | body | towards the back |
| proximal | body | towards the torso |
| distal | body | away from the torso |
| left | body | cranial x ventral |
| right | body | -left |
| medial | body | towards center in left-right axis |
| lateral | body | away from center in left-right axis |
| palmar | hand | normal to the palm |
| bow | ship | towards the bit of the ship that usually goes at the front |
| stern | ship | opposite direction to bow |
| overhead | ship | normal to the deck of the ship |
| deck | ship | opposite to overhead |
| port | ship | left of ship, overhead × bow |
| starboard | ship | right of ship, overhead × bow |
| prograde | orbiting body | direction of velocity |
| retrograde | orbiting body | opposite direction to prograde |
| zenith | orbiting body | directly away from planet |
| nadir | orbiting body | directly towards planet |
| normal | orbiting body | prograde × zenith |
| antinormal | orbiting body | opposite direction to normal |
| axis | rotating body | direction of axis of rotation (when viewing along the axis it should appear to be going clockwise) |
| out | rotating body | radially away from axis of rotation |
| spinward | rotating body | local spinning direction = axis × out |
| antispinward | rotating body | opposite direction to spinward |
| windward | windy place | direction from which the wind is coming |
| leeward | windy place | direction in which the wind is going |
| downstream | river | direction in which the water is going |
| upstream | river | direction from which the water is coming |
| transverse | wave | perpendicular to the direction of propagation |
| longitudinal | wave | parallel to the direction of propagation |