cranium

noun

cra·​ni·​um ˈkrā-nē-əm 

plural craniums or crania ˈkrā-nē-ə 

: skull

specifically : the part of the skull that encloses the brain : braincase

Among the physical characters that distinguish them from other early humans are the long, low sweep of the Neanderthal cranium …

—James Shreeve

"Hey, big head!" Mahorn shouted. Aguirre does, in fact, have an extraordinary cranium.

—Jeff Coplon

You don't "watch" a film like Fight Club; you mainline a deluge of visual and sonic information (including a hefty chunk of the IKEA catalog) straight into your cranium.

—Jeff Gordinier

Synonyms

• skull

Examples of cranium in a Sentence

the cranium of a Neanderthal is striking for its brow ridges

Recent Examples on the Web

In 1985 researchers working in northern Kenya discovered a 2.5-million-year-old cranium of the robust australopith Paranthropus aethiopicus. —Donald C. Johanson, Scientific American, 15 Oct. 2024

Woody Harrelson plays the McCain strategist/bouncer Steve Schmidt, all shoulders and gleaming cranium; Ed Harris plays a rambunctious, foulmouthed, wide-eyed McCain; and Julianne Moore, from a place of truly Strasbergian inwardness, plays Palin. —James Parker, The Atlantic, 1 Oct. 2024

Between all the seductive milk sipping and unsteady cranium bleaching, Lola and Eric really take their time with Brent. —Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 27 Sep. 2024

Advertisement Trump’s cranium seemed ready to explode. —Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Medieval Latin, from Greek kranion; akin to Greek kara head — more at cerebral

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

cranium

noun

cra·​ni·​um ˈkrā-nē-əm 

plural craniums or crania

-nē-ə

: skull sense 1

especially : the part that encloses the brain

Medical Definition

cranium

noun

cra·​ni·​um ˈkrā-nē-əm 

plural craniums or crania -nē-ə 

: skull

specifically : braincase