skull en · NOUN · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- /skʊl/ (Northern-England)
- (US) audio
- /ˈskʌl/
- skŭl
Etymology
From Middle English sculle, scolle (also schulle, scholle), probably from a dialectal form of Old Norse skalli (“bald head, skull”), itself probably related to Old English sċealu (“husk”), to Proto-Norse *ᛋᚲᚨᛚᛟ (*skalo), from Proto-Germanic *skallô; compare Finnish kallo. Compare Scots scull, Danish skal (“skull”) and skalle (“bald head, skull”), Norwegian skalle, Swedish skalle and especially dialectal Swedish skulle. Related to Old Norse skoltr (“brow”), skolptr (“muzzle, snout”), akin to Icelandic skoltur (“jaw”), dialectal Swedish skult, skulle (“dome, crown of the head, skull”), Norwegian Nynorsk skult, skolt (“cranium, head (of a hammer); crag; hub”), Middle Dutch scolle, scholle, Middle Low German scholle, schulle (“clod, sod”), and Scots skult, skolt. Compare also Old High German sciula, skiula (“skull”). Possibly related to Latin celsus (“lofty, high, tall”), collis (“hill”). Also related to Old Norse skǫllóttr, Icelandic sköllóttur, Old Swedish skallotter, Swedish skallig, Danish skaldet, Norwegian skallet (“bald”).
Meanings
-
The main bones of the head considered as a unit; including the cranium, facial bones, and mandible.
All the time six or eight large Chinese gongs were being beaten by the vigorous arms of as many young men, producing such a deafening discord that I was glad to escape to the round house, where I slept very comfortably with half a dozen smoke-dried human skulls suspended over my head.
1869, Alfred Russel Wallace, The Malay Archipelago, volume I, London: Macmillan and Co., page 110:He was about to roar when, lying among the black sticks and straw under the cliff, he saw a whole skull—perhaps a cow's skull, a skull, perhaps, with the teeth in it. Sobbing, but absent-mindedly, he ran farther and farther away until he held the skull in his arms.
1922 October 26, Virginia Woolf, chapter 1, in Jacob’s Room, Richmond, London: […] Leonard & Virginia Woolf at the Hogarth Press, →OCLC; republished London: The Hogarth Press, 1960, →OCLC:
-
These bones as a symbol for death; death's-head.
Thine are these orbs of light and shade; Thou madest Life in man and brute; Thou madest Death; and lo, thy foot Is on the skull which thou hast made.
1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Prologue”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC:
-
(figuratively) The mind or brain.
My thoughts are flying around in my skull like fireflies in a jar, but all of a sudden I'm unbearably tired and can't stay awake.
2006, Bart Yates, The Brothers Bishop:
- A crust formed on the ladle, etc. by the partial cooling of molten metal.
- The crown of the headpiece in armour.
- (Scotland) A shallow bow-handled basket.
-
(UK, obsolete, slang) The head or master of a college.
Graduates […] will never forget that majestic stature, that massive brow, that commanding look, as its possessor paced the ante-chapel of his college, or took his seat of presidence among the skulls of Golgotha.
1881, The Academy, page 407:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| skulls | Number=Plur | lexicographic | |
| scull | alternative | lexicographic |
Coordinates
Deriveds
numskull · out of one's skull · skull base disease · get it through one's skull · exploded skull · fist and skull · cloverleaf skull · skulllike · skullbone · skull-thatcher · skullish · sugar skull · sapskull · get through one's thick skull · skullfucker · skull and crossbones · Beauchene skull · thin skull rule · crumbling skull rule · skull and bones · whip some skull on · skull drum · skull splitter · deathskull · rattleskull · skullet · skullcup · skull-collecting ant · skully · numbskull · fuckskull · thickskull · skullcap · skull-pan · popskull · skull-splitter · crackskull · skull-measurer · hot-skull · skull session · skullful · pseudo-skull · skull-fuck · skullscape · skull-like · Skull Valley · skull-splitting
Holonyms
Hypernyms
Meronyms
occipital bone · braincase · zygomatic bone · nasal bone · lacrimal bone · parietal bone · ethmoid bone · sphenoid bone · temporal bone · mandible · frontal bone · maxilla
Relateds
Synonyms
brainbox · brainpan · harnpan · cranium · skull · brain bucket
Translations (302)
xal һавл (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · ka თავის ქალა (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · am ጭንቅላት (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · rsk лопов (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · hil bagol (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · alt баштыҥ сӧӧги (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · eu burezur (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · et pealuu (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · de Totenkopf (death's-head, skull) · de Kranium (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · io kranio (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · hi कपाल (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · it cranio (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · lt kaukolė (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · fo skróvbein (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · pa ਖੋਪਰੀ (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · sh лу̀бања (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · mi korotū (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · no daudinghovud (death's-head, skull) · cs lebka (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · fr crâne (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · kl qaratserfik (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · twf pʼìtąmúluną (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · la calvāria (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · sv kranium (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · yue 腦殼 /脑壳 (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · ms jumjumah (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · kab abbaɣ (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · sv kranie (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · rm chavazza (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · da dødningehoved (death's-head, skull) · rup cafcã (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · nb hodeskalle (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · no hovudskalle (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · lbe бакӏрал ттаркӏ (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · fi pääkallo (death's-head, skull) · es calavera (death's-head, skull) · ms batok kepala (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · egy D-n:n:t*tp (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · ltg čereps (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · ty ʻapuroro (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · ko 두개골 (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · ceb kalabera (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · izh pääluu (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · nl doodskop (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · tt баш сөяге (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · rup cãrãfetã (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · bn করোটি (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · ky баш сөөгү (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · nrf cranne (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · haw iwi poʻo (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · lb Hirschuel (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · vls dutsekop (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · got 𐍈𐌰𐌹𐍂𐌽𐌴𐌹 (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · nb skalle (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · yua tseekʼ (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · lv galvaskauss (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · id tengkorak (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · ba баш һөйәге (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · bg глава ((figuratively) mind or brain) · av гвангвара (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · mi pareho (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · sk lebka (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · lv miroņgalva (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · cmn 骷髏頭 /骷髅头 (death's-head, skull) · az kəllə (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · fy holleplasse (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · yag taša (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · kmr kilox (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · sw fuvu la kichwa (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · rup cãpitsãnã (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · tg косаи сар (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · cmn 頭骨 /头骨 (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · fo skøltur (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · rup craniu (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · cy penglog (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · frr Brainkas (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · syc ܩܪܩܦܬܐ (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · mel abekulou (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · it teschio (death's-head, skull) · sc cràniu (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · ka ქალა (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · lez келле (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · sne tikuruok (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · sat ᱠᱷᱟᱯᱨᱤ (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · am የራስ ቅል (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · ne खप्पर (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · cmn 髑髏 /髑髅 (death's-head, skull) · id jumjumah (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · sn dehenya (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · cmn 腦殼 /脑壳 (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · pt caveira (death's-head, skull) · za ndokgyaeuj (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · fy kopbonke (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · nl schedel (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · oc cran (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · bg че́реп (death's-head, skull) · rsk лоповик (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · ta மண்டையோடு (death's-head, skull) · th กะโหลก (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · te కపాలము (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · jv tengkorak (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · gur zuwaŋrɛ (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · da kranium (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · ia cranio (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · dv ބޮލުގެ ނާށިގަނޑު (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · nl doodskop (death's-head, skull) · he גולגולת \ גֻּלְגֹּלֶת (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · fa-ira جُمْجُمِه (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · fi pääkallo (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · os сӕргӕхц (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · vi đầu lâu (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · ckb کاپۆڵ (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · la crānium (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · ln ebɛbɛlɛ (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · so lafmadax (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · ain オナシ (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · ay amay pekge (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · tl bungo (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · an cranio (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · sq kafkë (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · fo heysur (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · ang hēafodpanne (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · koi юр лы (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · kk бас сүйек (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · ms tengkorak (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · kea kraniu (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · ca crani (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · te పుర్రె (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · pl czaszka (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · tg косахонаи сар (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · wa cråne (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · no daudingskalle (death's-head, skull) · lo ກະໂຫລກ (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · uz bosh suyagi (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · ro căpățână (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · lv miroņgalva (death's-head, skull) · ti ሽክና ርእሲ (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · arz جمجمة (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · lb Schiedel (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · bdr bengkurung (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · ro țeastă (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · cmn 骷髏 /骷髅 (death's-head, skull) · yi שאַרבן (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · tr kafatası (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · cmn 顱骨 /颅骨 (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · prs جُمْجُمَه (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · hy գանգ (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · sh ло̀бања (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · bvb mötyuèkököra (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · mt qorriegħa (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · kcg a̱gyigyiek-a̱pyia̱ (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · mr कवटी (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · rup cocã (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · ar جُمْجُمَة (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · mg karandoha (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · stq Platte (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · hak 腦殼 /脑壳 (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · scn cucuzzuni (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · ja 髑髏 (death's-head, skull) · pt caveira (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · wo kaaŋ mi (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · it teschio (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · uk че́реп (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · ru че́реп (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · mk череп (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · ast craniu (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · sl lobanja (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · fo skalli (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · sv skalle (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · be чэ́рап (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · ht zo tèt (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · ig okpukpo isi (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · ady шъхьэкъупшъхь (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · oj nishtigwaanigegan (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · mn гавал (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · et kolju (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · war bungo (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · ta மண்டையோடு (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · nl cranium (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · bo ཀ་པ་ལ (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · hu halálfej (death's-head, skull) · ti ሓምሓም ርእሲ (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · nb hjerneskalle (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · ceb bagolbagol (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · pt crânio (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · sh lòbanja (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · ur کاسَۂ سَر (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · sv dödskalle (death's-head, skull) · vi sọ (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · roa-opt caaveira (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · mww pob txha tab hau (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · pag lapislapis (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · vls schedel (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · yo egungun agbárí (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · as লাওখোলা (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · kea kraniu (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · vo kran (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · ha kwanyar (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · ro craniu (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · sgs kramė (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · el κρανίο (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · pdt Schädel (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · tr baş kâsesi (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · ga blaosc an chinn (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · lo ກະໂຫຼກ (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · km សិរកបាល (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · ga cloigeann (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · fi kallo (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · hu koponya (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · cmn 頭蓋骨 /头盖骨 (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · gl caveira (death's-head, skull) · ug باش سۆڭىكى (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · kix khēukīng (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · or ଖପୁରି (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · fa-ira کاسِهخانِهٔ سَر (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · sv döskalle (death's-head, skull) · mnw ဂၞာက္ဍဟ် (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · nan-hbl 頭殼碗 /头壳碗 (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · ga blaosc an chloiginn (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · krj bagol (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · ru че́реп (death's-head, skull) · si තට්ටය (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · dsb nop (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · khb ᦡᦳᧅᧈᦷᦠ (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · pt cabeça ((figuratively) mind or brain) · is hauskúpa (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · ur کَپال (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · nb hodeskalle (death's-head, skull) · si කබල (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · el νεκροκεφαλή (death's-head, skull) · sa कपाल (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · da kranie (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · id batok kepala (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · ka ქალა (death's-head, skull) · ja 頭蓋骨 (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · sh lùbanja (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · pi သဳသကပလ (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · gu ખોપરી (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · no skult (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · km លលាដ៍ក្បាល (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · es cráneo (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · tg ҷумҷума (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · ky баш сөөк (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · ang hēafodbān (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · si ඔලුව (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · ja 頭骨 (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · alt баштыҥ сӧӧк (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · nl doodshoofd (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · mi papa angaanga (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · bg че́реп (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · es calaca (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · ta தலையோடு (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · hsb nop (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · es calavera (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · tr baş çanağı (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · ga blaosc (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · grc κρανίον (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · gl caveira (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · ta மண்டை ((figuratively) mind or brain) · nan-hbl 頭蓋骨 /头盖骨 (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · cy siol (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · is höfuðkúpa (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · eo kranio (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · de Schädel (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · li sjeiel (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · ml തലയോട്ടി (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · nci tzontecomatl (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · rup cafcalã (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · mi angaanga (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · ps کوپړۍ (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · mn ᠭᠠᠪᠠᠯᠠ (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · arc גולגלתא (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · scn crozza (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · tyz búc bẩu (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · et kolp (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · or ମୁଣ୍ଡଖପୁରି (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · mi pārihirihi (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · mt kranju (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · rif aqešqaš (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · my ဦးခွံ (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · nb dødninghode (death's-head, skull) · fur crepe (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · nah tzontecomatl (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · la calva (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · fa-ira کاسِهٔ سَر (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · frr schäädel (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · txg 𘘌 (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · gd claigeann (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · br klopenn (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · frr Haurskrok (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · xh ukhakayi (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · stq Skedel (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · zu ugebhezi (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · lo ກະລາ (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · kn ತಲೆಬುರುಡೆ (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · gl cranio (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · af skedel (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · qu uma tullu (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · tk kelleçanak (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · chr ᎤᏍᎦ (bones of the head: cranium and mandible) · fy plasse (bones of the head: cranium and mandible)