cranial

adjective

cra·​ni·​al ˈkrā-nē-əl 

1

: of or relating to the skull or cranium

2

: cephalic

cranially

ˈkrā-nē-ə-lē 

adverb

Examples of cranial in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Holistic treatments include full-body massages, myofascial release, reflexology, cranial sacral therapy, and Shiatsu. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 July 2026

Mice, chickens, zebrafish and humans all rely on similar genetic programs to guide cranial neural crest cell development. — Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026

The victim suffered deep cranial and facial cuts and lost teeth in the attack, police said. — Jason Green, Mercury News, 2 June 2026

That study’s authors suggested that, despite having larger total cranial capacity (more room in their skulls), Neanderthals, on average, had smaller cerebellums than Homo sapiens. — ArsTechnica, 28 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1800, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing cranial

• cranial index
• cranial nerve
• ninth cranial nerve

Kids Definition

cranial

adjective

cra·​ni·​al ˈkrā-nē-əl 

: of, relating to, or directed toward the skull or cranium

Medical Definition

cranial

adjective

cra·​ni·​al ˈkrā-nē-əl 

1

: of or relating to the skull or cranium

2

: cephalic

the cranial end of the spinal column

cranially

-ə-lē 

adverb