cranium

American  

[krey-nee-uhm] / ˈkreɪ ni əm /

noun

craniums, plural crania plural

1. the skull of a vertebrate.

2. the part of the skull that encloses the brain.

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cranium British  

/ ˈkreɪnɪəm /

noun

1. the skull of a vertebrate

2. Nontechnical name: brainpan.  the part of the skull that encloses the brain

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cranium Scientific  

/ krā′nē-əm /

craniums plural

1. The vertebrate skull, especially the part that encloses and protects the brain.

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cranium Cultural  

1. The part of the skull that encloses the brain.

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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• crania
  plural
• craniums
  plural

Etymology

Origin of cranium

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English craneum, from Medieval Latin crānium, from Greek krāníon “skull”; akin to kerato-, cerebrum, cornu, horn

Explanation

Your cranium is your skull, the hard bone of your head that protects your brain from injury. Take care of your cranium; it's your built-in helmet! The skull is composed of two primary parts: the cranium, which houses the brain, and the mandible, or jawbone. While the cranium acts as a protective "braincase," it also provides the structural foundation for the facial skeleton. In some animals, the cranium is reinforced so that defensive features, such as horns or antlers, can be anchored directly to the bone. The word comes from the Greek kranion, "upper part of the head," from the root word kara, "head."