Cranium

Quick meaning: Cranium is a noun meaning (anatomy) That part of the skull consisting of the bones enclosing the brain, but not including the bones of the face or jaw.

Meaning

(anatomy) That part of the skull consisting of the bones enclosing the brain, but not including the bones of the face or jaw.

More Meanings

1. (informal) Synonym of skull.
2. (anthropology, informal) The upper portion of the skull, including the neurocranium and facial bones, but not including the jawbone (mandible).

Example Sentences

The Skull is divided into two parts, the Cranium and the Face. The Cranium is composed of eight bones; […]

‘I always ask leave, in the interests of science, to measure the crania of those going out there,’ he said.

"The cranium is clearly plesiomorphic in overall form, presenting primitive traits shared by earlier hominins," the authors wrote.

The cranium of the fowl is composed of the same elements as are present in the mammalian cranium, save that there is no interparietal.

Word Forms

• craniums
• crania

Synonyms for cranium

Depending on context, synonyms include braincase, neurocranium, skull, brainpan.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include braincase, brainpan, skull, brain, forehead, scalp.

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