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

Scrub technologists and circulating nurses prepare and manage instruments, maintain sterility, position the patient with millimeter precision for complex spine or cranial approaches, and anticipate needs before they are spoken. — Richard Menger Md Mpa, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026

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