skull

[skul]

the skeleton of the head, consisting of the cranium and the mandible. The cranium forms the domed top, back, and sides of the skull; several of its bones are large, smooth, gently curved, and connected to each other by dovetailed joints called sutures, which permit no movement and make the mature skull rigid. They protect the brain, with their curved exterior serving to deflect blows; the eyes, ears, and nose are also protected by being recessed into the skull and surrounded by bone.

At birth the skull joints are flexible, so that the infant's head can be compressed as it emerges from the birth canal. The joints remain flexible to allow expansion until the cranial bones are fully formed, around the second year of life. An infant's skull contains soft areas, or fontanels, where the bones of the cranium do not meet.

The skull is supported by the highest vertebra, called the atlas. This joint permits a back-and-forth, nodding motion. The atlas turns on the vertebra below it, the axis, which allows the skull to turn from side to side.

Disorders of the Skull. The skull is rarely affected by disease. Uncommon ones like osteitis deformans and acromegaly cause the bones to increase in size. Like other bones, the skull may be fractured by blows, falls, or other accidents, but skull fracture can be far more dangerous because of its proximity to the brain.

Skull, midsagittal section. From Applegate, 2000.

cra·ni·um

, pl.

cra·ni·a

(krā'nē-ŭm, -ă), [TA]

The bones of the head collectively. The neurocranium is the part of cranium that forms the bony brain case containing the brain, excluding the bones of the face (viscerocranium).

Synonym(s): skull

[Mediev. L. fr. G. kranion]

Farlex Partner Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012

skull

(skŭl)

The bony or cartilaginous framework of the head, made up of the bones of the braincase and face; cranium.

skull

(skŭl)

The bones of the head collectively. In a more limited sense, the neurocranium, the bony braincase containing the brain, excluding the bones of the face (viscerocranium).

[Mid. Eng. skulle, a bowl]

Medical Dictionary for the Health Professions and Nursing © Farlex 2012

skull

The bony skeleton of the head and the protective covering for the brain. The part of the skull that encloses the brain is called the cranium.

Collins Dictionary of Medicine © Robert M. Youngson 2004, 2005

skull

the skeleton of the vertebrate head.

Collins Dictionary of Biology, 3rd ed. © W. G. Hale, V. A. Saunders, J. P. Margham 2005

cra·ni·um

, pl. crania (krā'nē-ŭm, -ă) [TA]

The bones of the head collectively.
Synonym(s): skull.

[Mediev. L. fr. G. kranion ]

Medical Dictionary for the Dental Professions © Farlex 2012

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

"But, my dear fellow, you are joking then," said I, "this is a very passable skull - indeed, I may say that it is a very excellent skull, according to the vulgar notions about such specimens of physiology - and your scarabæus must be the queerest scarabæus in the world if it resembles it.

"Why taint noffin but a skull - somebody bin lef him head up de tree, and de crows done gobble ebery bit ob de meat off."

Now, I suppose, you can find the left eye of the skull, or the place where the left eye has been.

View in context

"Now bear him to the Blue Place of Seven Skulls," directed the chief Wieroo, "and one take the word of all that has passed to Him Who Speaks for Luata."

At all levels were the myriad poles surmounted by grinning skulls; but the two most prominent features of the city were the round tower of human skulls that Bradley had noted earlier in the day and another and much larger edifice near the center of the city.

They passed the building and about five hundred yards beyond the creature alighted on the roof of a square, blue building surmounted by seven poles bearing seven skulls. This then, thought Bradley, is the Blue Place of Seven Skulls.

View in context

Deputy public relations officer of Botswana Police Services, Senior Superintendent Near Bagali, told BOPA in an interview that the skull had been taken to the laboratories for forensic analysis.

Skull under forensic investigation - police

Skulls do not have full nose so he cut half of his nose.

Kalaka skull

Using state-of-the-art tools and cell-specific dyes in mice, Matthias Nahrendorf, M.D., Ph.D., professor at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, and his colleagues were able to distinguish whether immune cells traveling to brain tissue damaged by stroke or meningitis, came from bone marrow in the skull or the tibia, a large legbone.

Secret Tunnels Between Skull and Brain

In any case, its against tradition to pick or disturb the skulls.SKULL CAVEA passer-by tells us of another skull cave, but its a kilometre up in the mountain.

The skull caves of Vuria

We analyzed 90 patients with depressed skull fracture managed surgically from January 2015 to December 2016.

Impact of depressed skull fracture surgery on outcome of head injury patients