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

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

There are tons of spa treatments, all on the affordable side, ranging from an abdominal relaxation ritual for digestive lightness to cranial drainage for migraine relief. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 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