skull
[ skuhl ]
/ skʌl /
noun
the bony framework of the head, enclosing the brain and supporting the face; the skeleton of the head.
the head as the center of knowledge and understanding; mind: to get literature's great ideas through our skulls.
Armor. the part of a helmet that covers the top of the head.
Nearby words
skua, skuld, skulduddery, skulduggery, skulk, skull, skull and crossbones, skull session, skull-cap, skullcap, skullduggery
Idioms
out of one's skull, Slang. crazy; demented.
Origin of skull
1175–1225; Middle English scolle < Old Norse skalli
Related formsskull-less, adjectiveskull-like, adjective
Can be confusedscull skull
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for skull
British Dictionary definitions for skull
skull
/ (skʌl) /
noun
the bony skeleton of the head of vertebratesSee cranium Related adjective: cranial
often derogatory the head regarded as the mind or intelligenceto have a dense skull
a picture of a skull used to represent death or danger
Word Origin for skull
C13: of Scandinavian origin; compare Old Norse skoltr, Norwegian skult, Swedish dialect skulle
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for skull
skull
"bony framework of the head," c.1200, probably from Old Norse skalli "a bald head, skull," a general Scandinavian word (cf. Swedish skulle, Norwegian skult), probably related to Old English scealu "husk" (see shell (n.)). But early prominence in southwestern texts suggests rather origin from a Dutch or Low German cognate (e.g. Dutch schol "turf, piece of ice," but the sense of "head bone framework" is wanting). Derivation from Old French escuelle seems unlikely on grounds of sound and sense. Old English words for skull include heafod-bolla.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Medicine definitions for skull
skull
[ skŭl ]
n.
The bony or cartilaginous framework of the head, made up of the bones of the braincase and face; cranium.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Science definitions for skull
skull
[ skŭl ]
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. See more at skeleton.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.