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fontanel

American  
[fon-tn-el] / ˌfɒn tnˈɛl /
Or fontanelle

noun

Anatomy.
  1. one of the spaces, covered by membrane, between the bones of the fetal or young skull.


Etymology

Origin of fontanel

1375–1425; late Middle English fontinel < Middle French fontanele little spring, diminutive of fontaine fountain

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

There’s a heart, too, and a jaw, and a semi-skeleton infant with an unclosed fontanel.

From New York Times Oct. 8, 2021

I was gobsmacked by my babies: their meaty beauty and smell, the doughy smoothness of their skin, the pulsing crater of fontanel.

From New York Times Apr. 16, 2015

Once the fontanel grew over, however, the hat could be safely removed.

From Salon Feb. 16, 2014

He always bounces out of the wings, a square, bullet-headed man, smooth shaven except for a tiny marceled patch where his fontanel was 30 years ago.

From Time Magazine Archive

I peeled one and rolled it all over the baby’s head, his eyes, his lips, off his bump of a nose, his cheeks, his dear bald head and fontanel.

From "The Woman Warrior" by Maxine Hong Kingston

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