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Definition of cranial

cranial

/ˈkreɪ.ni.əl/
cra · ni · al
Adverb:cranially
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cranial Lexical Profile

cranial Game Scores & Validity

• adjective

1

Relating to the cranium or skull.

Example

"The neurologist examined the patient's twelve pairs of cranial nerves to assess brain function."

2

Situated toward the head or anterior end of the body.

Example

"In quadrupeds, the thoracic cavity lies cranial to the diaphragm."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
View all antonyms for cranial

• Rhymes for cranial

• Nearby Words

crane
cranefly
cranesbill
cranial
cranium
crank
crankcase

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in the early 19th century from Medieval Latin cranium ('skull'), which comes from Ancient Greek kranion ('skull, upper part of the head'), plus the English adjectival suffix -al.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Cranial. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/cranial
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