Final answer:
The term for turning the foot so the plantar surface faces laterally is eversion. It involves the intertarsal joints and turns the sole of the foot outward, distinguishing it from inversion, dorsiflexion, and plantar flexion.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term that describes turning the foot so the plantar surface faces laterally is eversion. Eversion is a movement involving the intertarsal joints of the foot, where the sole of the foot is turned outward, away from the midline of the body.
This is opposed to inversion, which is the turning of the foot to angle the sole towards the midline. Dorsiflexion and plantar flexion are movements that occur at the ankle joint itself; dorsiflexion lifts the front of the foot while plantar flexion lifts the heel and points the toes downward. However, as the question specifically mentions the turning of the foot so that the plantar surface faces laterally, eversion is the correct term to use in this context.