Scaphocephaly
/ˌskæfoʊˈsɛfəli/noun
A condition in which the skull is abnormally long and narrow, usually caused by premature fusion of the sagittal suture.
Did you know?Scaphocephaly comes from Greek words for “boat” and “head,” because the skull’s elongated shape was compared to a boat hull, not because of any occult meaning.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
skáphē
“boat, skiff, trough-like vessel”
Ancient Greek
Greek
kephalḗ
“head”
19th Century
New Latin
scaphocephalia
“medical term for a boat-shaped skull”
Modern English
English
scaphocephaly
“the condition of having a long, narrow skull”
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