Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
anterior fontanelle

anterior fontanelle

8.9
A soft gap at the front of a baby's skull that closes as the bones join
  • noun
  • /ænˈtɪr.i.ər ˈfɒn.tə.nɛl/
  • Specialized
translation icon : fontanela anterior
  • The anterior fontanelle usually closes by the age of 18 to 24 months.

Examples

  • A sunken anterior fontanelle may indicate dehydration in infants.

  • The pediatrician gently examined the baby's anterior fontanelle during the check-up.

  • The baby's anterior fontanelle is still soft.

  • Doctors check the anterior fontanelle during routine exams.

  • The pediatrician gently examined the baby's anterior fontanelle during the check-up.

  • A sunken anterior fontanelle may indicate dehydration in infants.

  • The anterior fontanelle usually closes by the age of 18 to 24 months.

Surface Forms

anterior fontanelle singular
anterior fontanelles plural

Morphology

anterior + fontanelle

The meaning is directly compositional: 'anterior' = toward the front and 'fontanelle' = the soft gap on a baby's skull, so the phrase denotes the front skull gap. This is a transparent anatomical compound and follows common cross-linguistic naming patterns, so a learner who knows both constituents can infer the meaning.

Etymology

Anterior fontanelle names the soft 'spot' on the front of a baby's head. The word anterior means 'front' and fontanelle is a soft place where the skull bones have not yet joined, so the phrase refers to that front soft gap that later 'closes' as the bones come together.