Advertisement - Continue reading below

Definition of "cranial" [cra•ni•al]

  • Of or relating to the skull or cranium. (adjective)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "cranial" in a sentence
  • "An acquaintance, a plastic surgeon who specializes in cranial reconstruction, was returning from a conference on head injuries on September 11."
  • "They carry information from one part of the brain to another, as well as back and forth between the brain and the rest of the body by way of the spinal cord and some specialized structures called cranial nerves."
  • "The nerve fiber attached to these organs—specifically called cranial nerve zero because all the other numbers were already taken before it was discovered—responds specifically to scents from potential mates."