brachycephalic

1 of 2

adjective

brachy·​ce·​phal·​ic ˌbra-ki-sə-ˈfa-lik 

: short-headed or broad-headed with a cephalic index of over 80

brachycephaly

ˌbra-ki-ˈse-fə-lē 

noun

brachycephaly

2 of 2

noun

brachy·​ceph·​a·​ly ˌbra-kə-ˈse-fə-lē 

plural -es

: the quality or state of being brachycephalic

Examples of brachycephalic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Puppies, kittens, senior pets, and brachycephalic breeds are at higher risk. — Jen Reeder, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026

Also, brachycephalic dogs, very old dogs, and those with heart or pulmonary disease would be more prone to heat sensitivity. — Molly Burford, Southern Living, 29 June 2026

But their signature flat faces can come with serious breathing risks, such as brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS). — Taneia Surles, USA Today, 1 May 2026

In the case of these breeds, around 90% suffer from brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS), a chronic condition they're born with that gets worse with age. — New Atlas, 24 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

New Latin brachycephalus, from Greek brachy- + kephalē head — more at cephalic

Noun

International Scientific Vocabulary brachycephalic + -y

First Known Use

Adjective

circa 1852, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for brachycephalic

• intermetallic
• polymetallic
• alack
• gallic
• hallock
• malic
• malik
• phallic
• salic
• sialic
• taluk
• bimetallic

Medical Definition

brachycephalic

adjective

brachy·​ce·​phal·​ic ˌbrak-i-sə-ˈfal-ik 

: short-headed or broad-headed with a cephalic index of over 80

brachycephaly

-ˈsef-ə-lē 

noun

plural brachycephalies