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Glite Dictionary
epicranium

epicranium

9.9
The skin, muscles, and soft tissue that cover the top of the skull
  • noun
  • /ˌɛpɪˈkreɪniəm/
  • Specialized
: epicráneo
  • The epicranium includes the scalp and its associated muscles and connective tissue.
  • part of the epicranium

Examples

  • Injuries to the epicranium can result in swelling and bruising of the forehead.

  • During the surgery, an incision was made through the epicranium to access the skull.

  • The epicranium protects the brain from external injuries.

  • During the examination, the doctor checked the epicranium for any abnormalities.

  • Injuries to the epicranium can result in swelling and bruising of the forehead.

  • During the surgery, an incision was made through the epicranium to access the skull.

  • The epicranium includes the scalp and its associated muscles and connective tissue.

Surface Forms

epicranium singular
epicraniums plural

Morphology

epicranium = cranium (semi-transparent) = epi + cranium

The meaning 'upon/over the skull' follows from epi- + cranium but the prefix 'epi-' is medical/Greek-derived and not familiar to average learners.

Etymology

Epicranium comes from Greek parts epi- meaning 'on' (as in epidermis) and cranium meaning 'skull'. So the epicranium is the skin, muscles and tissue that lie 'on the skull' or cover the top of the head.