cranial

adjective

cra·​ni·​al ˈkrā-nē-əl How to pronounce cranial (audio)
1
: of or relating to the skull or cranium
2
cranially adverb

Examples of cranial in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Schmitt’s contact lenses weren’t the only new cranial accessory in the clubhouse. Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 10 May 2024 The child — named Noe Medina Jr., after the father who feared his wife was mentally unstable and dangerous — fell to his death, a victim of severe blunt cranial trauma. Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2024 These are soft tissue areas that lead directly to the cranial cavity. Craig Caudill, Field & Stream, 14 Feb. 2024 Your cranial cavity’s inner voice and self-awareness explain why. Andy Kessler, WSJ, 7 Jan. 2024 But the cranial collection has long posed a dilemma faced by museums across the nation – how to preserve and present collections of human remains that are also a testament to America’s racist past. Justin Gamble, CNN, 9 Feb. 2024 Morton’s goal with the collection was to use cranial measurements to argue that different races were distinct species of humans, with white people considered the superior species. Melissa Noel, Essence, 5 Feb. 2024 In an update shared on his website, the Dancing with the Stars judge revealed that his wife was diagnosed with a cranial hematoma from a burst blood vessel and required an emergency craniectomy. Vanessa Etienne, Peoplemag, 5 Feb. 2024 In these tests, the impact sensor successfully lit up in the direction of the collisions, which Lee and colleagues write could be a helpful indicator for sports physicians to better assess players for concussion or other cranial damage after sustaining a blow on the field. IEEE Spectrum, 18 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cranial.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1800, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cranial was in 1800

Dictionary Entries Near cranial

Cite this Entry

“Cranial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cranial. Accessed 18 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

cranial

adjective
cra·​ni·​al ˈkrā-nē-əl How to pronounce cranial (audio)
: of, relating to, or directed toward the skull or cranium

Medical Definition

cranial

adjective
cra·​ni·​al ˈkrā-nē-əl How to pronounce cranial (audio)
1
: of or relating to the skull or cranium
2
: cephalic
the cranial end of the spinal column
cranially adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on cranial

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