Which term refers to the motion of a limb away from the midline of the body?

The term that refers to the motion of a limb away from the midline of the body is abduction. This movement is fundamental in understanding how limbs interact with the body and environment, as it describes the action of increasing the angle between body parts. For example, when you raise your arm sideways away from your torso, you are performing abduction.

Adduction, on the other hand, is the opposite movement, bringing a limb closer to the midline. Flexion refers to bending a joint, reducing the angle between body parts, such as bending the elbow. Rotation involves turning around an axis, which is not specifically about moving a limb in relation to the midline. Therefore, abduction distinctly identifies the motion of moving a limb outward from the center of the body.