skull

American  

[skuhl] / skʌl /

noun

1. the bony framework of the head, enclosing the brain and supporting the face; the skeleton of the head.

2. the head as the center of knowledge and understanding; mind.

   to get literature's great ideas through our skulls.

3. Armor. the part of a helmet that covers the top of the head.

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idioms

1. out of one's skull, crazy; demented.

skull British  

/ skʌl /

noun

1. the bony skeleton of the head of vertebrates See cranium

2. derogatory the head regarded as the mind or intelligence

   to have a dense skull

3. a picture of a skull used to represent death or danger

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skull Scientific  

/ skŭl /

1. The part of the skeleton that forms the framework of the head, consisting of the bones of the cranium, which protect the brain, and the bones of the face.

2. See more at skeleton

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Other Word Forms

• skull-less adjective
• skull-like adjective

Etymology

Origin of skull

1175–1225; Middle English scolle < Old Norse skalli

Example Sentences

She recovered key anatomical features including teeth, jawbones, and parts of the skull, which later allowed scientists to identify the specimen as a new species.

From Science Daily

The mountains, flowers and animal skulls she depicted have made her one of the most widely known and beloved 20th-century American artists.

From The Wall Street Journal

A wild-eyed girl whose skull was weirdly plastered with yellow clay to give it the roughness of oak bark.

From Literature

Called Nebula PMR 1, the object has a striking appearance that resembles a brain inside a transparent skull, which is why it has been nicknamed the "Exposed Cranium" nebula.

From Science Daily

In “An Experiment,” an assistant draws the curtains on the moon to heighten the uplighting from a candle beneath a vase of water that contains a submerged skull.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• cranium
• scalp