What is the medical term for laying face down?

The medical term for laying face down is "prone." This term is commonly used in various healthcare and medical settings to describe a position where a person is lying flat on their stomach, facing downwards. Understanding this term is essential for medical professionals when describing patient positioning during examinations, treatments, or surgeries.

The other terms provided have distinct meanings: "supine" refers to lying on the back, which is the opposite position to prone; "lateral" describes a position lying on either the left or right side; whereas "recumbent" can refer to lying down in a general sense but does not specifically denote the face-down position. Thus, "prone" is the precise term that accurately defines laying face down.