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The bones of the head collectively. In a more limited sense, the neurocranium, the bony brain case containing the brain, excluding the bones of the face (viscerocranium). SYN: skull. [Mediev. L. fr. G. kranion]
- c. bifidum, bifid c. SYN: encephalocele.
- c. cerebrale, cerebral c. SYN: neurocranium.
- c. viscerale, visceral c. SYN: viscerocranium.
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n.
the part of the skeleton that encloses the brain. It consists of eight bones connected together by immovable joints (see skull).
• cranial adj.
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cra·ni·um (kraґne-əm) gen. craґnii pl. craґnia [L., from Gr. kranion the upper part of the head] [TA] the large round superior part of the skull, enclosing the brain and made up of the cranial bones; see ossa cranii, under os.Medical dictionary. 2011.