rhizoverbBeta
DictionarycephalicRelating to the head
adjective

cephalic

sih-FAL-ik/sɪˈfælɪk/

Relating to the head.

The clinician takes a cephalic measurement around the patient's head.

A clinician measures an adult patient's head circumference, making the head the clear focus of a medical assessment.
Etymology
cephalGreekhead
+icGreekrelating to

The head root becomes an adjective meaning “pertaining to the head.” Cephalic preserves that Greek meaning directly, identifying a relation to the head rather than naming the head itself.

In context

Nuttall's Biology0:12
we'll start by getting oriented to the location of the muscles in the cephalic region
Axial Muscles part 1 cephalic

More examples

  • The examination includes measurements of cephalic proportions.
  • The fetus is in a cephalic presentation, with its head downward.
  • The nerve extends toward the cephalic end of the body.

Similar words

cranial
More specifically relates to the skull or cranium.
cervical
Relates to the neck rather than the head.