noun
Common
skull
SKUHL
Skull (noun) means the bony structure that forms the head, enclosing the brain. Example: “He wore a helmet to protect his skull while cycling downhill.”
noun
1
The bony structure that forms the head, enclosing the brain.
"He wore a helmet to protect his skull while cycling downhill."
"The X-ray showed a hairline fracture in his skull."
"The museum displayed a dinosaur skull in the main hall."
2
The skull as a symbol representing death.
"The bottle had a skull on the label to warn people it was poison."
"He drew a small skull on his notebook because he liked spooky designs."
"The pirate flag showed a skull and crossbones."
3
Informal for the mind or brain.
"Use your skull and think before you answer."
How to use skull
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe bone case that protects your brain — also used loosely to mean your mind, or as a death symbol.
Common pairings
skull and crossbones
fracture a skull
use your skull
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Word forms
- Plural
- skulls
- Third person singular
- skulls
- Past tense
- skulled
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
He wore a helmet to protect his _____ while cycling downhill.
Etymology
From Middle English sculle, likely from a dialect form of Old Norse skalli ("bald head, skull").
Synonyms
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Rhymes for skull
See all rhymes for skull →Frequently asked questions
What does “skull” mean?
The word “skull” means the bony structure that forms the head, enclosing the brain. In plain terms, the bone case that protects your brain — also used loosely to mean your mind, or as a death symbol.
How do you pronounce “skull”?
“Skull” is pronounced SKUHL (/ˈskʌl/ in IPA).
How do you use “skull” in a sentence?
Here is “skull” used in a sentence: “The X-ray showed a hairline fracture in his skull.”
What is another word for “skull”?
Words with a similar meaning to “skull” include brainpan, harnpan, brain bucket, brainbox and cranium.
What part of speech is “skull”?
“Skull” is a noun.
Where does the word “skull” come from?
The word “skull” comes from Middle English. From Middle English sculle, likely from a dialect form of Old Norse skalli ("bald head, skull").
Is “skull” a common word?
“Skull” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “skull” have?
“Skull” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the bony structure that forms the head, enclosing the brain.
What is the difference between the skull and the cranium?
The skull is the entire bony structure of the head, including the jaw. The cranium is strictly the part of the skull that encloses the brain, although in everyday speech cranium is often used loosely to mean the whole skull.
Is it skull or scull?
Skull is the bony structure of the head, while scull is a rowing term — a light racing boat, its oars, or the act of rowing one. They sound identical, so writers sometimes confuse them, but the meanings are unrelated.
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