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

Explanation

The bones of a person's or animal's head make up the skull. All vertebrates have a skull. Pirate flags often feature a human skull and crossbones (because a parrot skull wouldn’t be nearly so scary). The wide-eyed head of a skeleton is its skull. Skulls are hard and bony, but they're a little bit flexible as well—characteristics that help them protect the brain they enclose. Your skull consists of two parts: the bones of your face and the neurocranium, or "braincase." The precise origin of skull is uncertain, but it probably traces back to the Old English scealu, "husk or shell."

Example Sentences

While the New York library has the stuffed toys, London has the skull of the original Winnie, kept by the Royal College of Surgeons after the bear's death in 1934.

From BBC • Apr. 25, 2026

A hiker in San Bernardino County found remains later identified as a human skull on Wednesday morning, authorities said.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 23, 2026

Medical procedures, including a left-leg amputation and tumor removal from his skull, have cost him hundreds of thousands of dollars—a sum surpassing what the potential settlement might yield.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 20, 2026

Inside a paleobiology lab lined with cabinets of ancient fossils, the Virginia Tech undergraduate held up a rough, pitted skull.

From Science Daily • Apr. 15, 2026

A massive headache pounded the sides of his skull, and for some reason, his feet were really warm.

From "Half Upon a Time" by James Riley

Related Words

• cranium
• scalp