C is one of the busiest letters in anatomy. It includes the cerebrum that lets you think, the cornea that lets you see, the colon that finishes digestion and the coccyx at the bottom of your spine. Many C words come from Latin and Greek, which is why they appear so often in biology lessons.
Here are 35 human body parts that start with C, grouped by body system, with a simple and accurate explanation of each.
Quick List: Body Parts That Start With C
| Calcaneus | Cerebral cortex | Cochlea |
| Calf | Cerebrospinal fluid | Colon |
| Canine teeth | Cerebrum | Conjunctiva |
| Capillaries | Cervical vertebrae | Cornea |
| Capitate | Cervix | Coronary arteries |
| Cardiac muscle | Cheek | Corpus callosum |
| Carotid arteries | Chest | Cranial nerves |
| Carpals | Chin | Cranium |
| Cartilage | Chordae tendineae | Cuboid |
| Cecum | Choroid | Cuneiform bones |
| Cerebellum | Ciliary body | Cuticle |
| Clavicle | Coccyx |
Brain and Nervous System
Cerebrum: The largest part of the brain, divided into left and right hemispheres. It is responsible for thinking, language, memory, voluntary movement and interpreting the senses.
Cerebral cortex: The thin, folded outer layer of the cerebrum, often called grey matter. Its folds pack a large surface area into the skull, and it carries out most higher-level thinking.
Cerebellum: A smaller, wrinkled structure at the back of the brain, beneath the cerebrum. It coordinates movement, balance and posture, and helps you learn physical skills like riding a bicycle.
Corpus callosum: A thick band of nerve fibres that connects the left and right halves of the brain so they can share information.
Cerebrospinal fluid: A clear liquid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. It cushions them from knocks, removes waste and helps keep their environment stable.
Cranial nerves: Twelve pairs of nerves that come directly from the brain rather than the spinal cord. They control smell, vision, eye movement, facial expression, hearing, swallowing and more.
Eyes and Ears
Cornea: The clear, dome-shaped window at the front of the eye. It provides most of the eye’s focusing power and protects the inner eye from dust and germs.
Conjunctiva: A thin, clear membrane covering the white of the eye and the inside of the eyelids. When it becomes inflamed, the condition is called conjunctivitis or pink eye.
Choroid: A layer rich in blood vessels between the retina and the white outer wall of the eye. It supplies oxygen and nutrients to the outer retina.
Ciliary body: A ring of muscle and tissue behind the iris. Its muscle changes the shape of the lens so you can focus on near or far objects, and it produces the fluid that fills the front of the eye.
Cochlea: A snail-shaped, fluid-filled tube in the inner ear. Tiny hair cells inside it turn sound vibrations into nerve signals that the brain hears as sound.
Heart and Blood Vessels
Cardiac muscle: The special muscle that makes up the heart wall. It contracts automatically and rhythmically throughout life without tiring the way skeletal muscle does.
Coronary arteries: The arteries that wrap around the heart and supply its muscle with oxygen-rich blood. A blockage in one of them causes a heart attack.
Chordae tendineae: Thin, strong cords inside the heart, sometimes called heartstrings. They tie the flaps of the mitral and tricuspid valves to small muscles in the ventricle wall so the valves do not flip backward.
Carotid arteries: The two large arteries, one on each side of the neck, that carry blood to the head. Each divides into an internal branch for the brain and an external branch for the face and neck. You can feel a carotid pulse beside the windpipe.
Capillaries: The smallest blood vessels in the body. Their walls are only one cell thick, which allows oxygen, nutrients and waste to pass between the blood and the tissues.
Digestive and Reproductive System
Colon: The main part of the large intestine. It runs up the right side of the abdomen, across, and down the left side. It absorbs water and salts from digested food and forms stool.
Cecum: A pouch at the very beginning of the large intestine, in the lower right abdomen. The small intestine empties into it, and the appendix hangs from it.
Cervix: The narrow lower part of the uterus (womb) that opens into the vagina. It widens during childbirth to let the baby pass through.
Bones, Joints and Connective Tissue
Cranium: The part of the skull that encloses and protects the brain. It is made of eight bones joined by fixed joints called sutures.
Cervical vertebrae: The seven bones of the neck, numbered C1 to C7. They support the head and allow it to nod and turn.
Clavicle: The collarbone. This S-shaped bone connects the arm to the trunk, running from the breastbone to the shoulder blade. It is one of the most commonly broken bones, often from a fall onto the shoulder.
Coccyx: The tailbone, a small triangular bone at the bottom of the spine made of three to five tiny fused vertebrae. Several muscles and ligaments attach to it.
Carpals: The eight small bones of the wrist, arranged in two rows of four. They let the wrist bend and rotate.
Capitate: The largest of the eight carpal bones, sitting in the centre of the wrist.
Calcaneus: The heel bone, the largest bone in the foot. The Achilles tendon attaches to the back of it.
Cuboid: A cube-shaped bone on the outer side of the foot, in front of the heel bone. It helps form the arch and passes weight toward the toes.
Cuneiform bones: Three wedge-shaped bones in the middle of the foot (medial, intermediate and lateral). They help create the arch of the foot.
Cartilage: A tough but flexible tissue found in the nose, the outer ear, the windpipe and the ends of bones in joints. It has no blood vessels, which is why it heals slowly when damaged.
Face, Teeth and Body Regions
Cheek: The fleshy side of the face below each eye. Inside it is the buccinator muscle, which keeps food between the teeth while you chew.
Chin: The front of the lower jaw below the lower lip. Humans are unusual among primates in having a clearly jutting bony chin.
Canine teeth: The four pointed teeth, one on each side of the upper and lower jaw, used for tearing food. They have the longest roots of all teeth.
Chest: The front of the upper trunk, also called the thorax. Its rib cage protects the heart and lungs.
Calf: The back of the lower leg. Its shape comes from two muscles, the gastrocnemius and soleus, which lift the heel when you walk, run or stand on tiptoe.
Cuticle: The thin layer of skin at the base of each fingernail and toenail. It seals the area where the nail grows and helps keep out germs.
Common Mix-Ups to Avoid
- Cerebrum vs. cerebellum: The cerebrum is the large thinking brain; the cerebellum is the smaller “little brain” at the back that handles balance and coordination.
- Colon vs. cecum: The cecum is the first pouch of the large intestine; the colon is the long section that follows.
- Cornea vs. conjunctiva: The cornea covers the coloured part of the eye; the conjunctiva covers the white part and the inner eyelids.
- Carpals vs. tarsals: Carpals are wrist bones; tarsals (such as the calcaneus, cuboid and cuneiforms) are ankle and foot bones.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which organs start with C?
The colon and cervix are organs that start with C. The cerebrum and cerebellum are major parts of the brain, which is itself an organ.
Which bones start with C?
The clavicle, coccyx, calcaneus, capitate, cuboid, cuneiforms, carpals, cervical vertebrae and the bones of the cranium all start with C.
What are easy C body parts for kids?
Cheek, chin, chest, calf and collarbone are simple, familiar words that children can learn and point to.
Conclusion
The letter C stretches from the top of the body (cranium and cerebrum) to the bottom (calcaneus and cuticles). Learning these terms by body system makes them easier to remember and gives you a clearer picture of how the body works as a whole.
Continue the series with body parts that start with B and body parts that start with D.
This article is for general education only and is not medical advice. If you have a health concern, please talk to a doctor.
