kropsdel

Kropsdel is a Danish term meaning a part of the body. In everyday language and in basic education it denotes any component of the body, including organs, limbs, regions and tissues. The word is formed from krop meaning body and del meaning part.

Usage and scope: The term is general rather than a precise anatomical category. In formal medical writing, more specific terms such as organ or tissue are used. Kropsdel is useful when describing injuries, pain or conditions that involve a body part without naming a particular system. The plural form is kropdele.

Common examples of body parts referred to as kropsdele include the head (hoved), eyes (øjne), ears (ører), arms (arme), legs (ben), hands (hænder), feet (fødder), chest (bryst), abdomen (mave), back (ryg) and skin (hud). The term can also cover regional and structural components such as a bone (knogle) or muscle (muskler), depending on context.

See also: anatomy, physiology, organ, tissue, region. Cognates exist in neighboring languages, including Norwegian kroppsdel and Swedish kroppsdel, which share a similar meaning and construction.