MEDICEPHALIC Meaning and
Definition
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Medicephalic is an adjective that refers to an individual or organism characterized by a specific cranial or skull shape. The term is derived from the Latin words "medius," meaning middle, and "cephalus," meaning head.
In the context of anthropology and anatomical classification, medicephalic is used to describe individuals or populations with a cranial shape that falls within the median range. It implies a skull structure that is neither extremely long nor extremely short, but rather possesses a moderate or average cephalic index.
The cephalic index is calculated by dividing the maximum width of the skull by its maximum length and multiplying the result by 100. Based on this measurement, skulls can be classified into various categories including dolichocephalic (long-headed), brachycephalic (short-headed), and mesocephalic (moderate-headed). Medicephalic can be considered synonymous with mesocephalic, indicating a cranial index falling within the average or medium range.
This term is commonly used in studies related to racial, ethnic, or population-based skull morphology, where it aids in comparing different groups with regards to their cranial dimensions. Medicephalic classifications can contribute to understanding the evolutionary, genetic, and environmental factors associated with skull shape variations.
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Median cephalic, noting the communicating vessel between the median and the cephalic veins.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
Common Misspellings for MEDICEPHALIC
- nedicephalic
- kedicephalic
- jedicephalic
- mwdicephalic
- msdicephalic
- mddicephalic
- mrdicephalic
- m4dicephalic
- m3dicephalic
- mexicephalic
- mecicephalic
- meficephalic
- mericephalic
- meeicephalic
- meducephalic
- medjcephalic
- medkcephalic
- med9cephalic
- med8cephalic
- medixephalic
Etymology of MEDICEPHALIC
The word "medicephalic" is derived from the combination of two components: "medi-" and "cephalic".
1. "Medi-" is a prefix that comes from the Latin word "medius", meaning "middle" or "midway". It is often used to denote something being in the middle or intermediate.
2. "Cephalic" comes from the Greek word "kephalē", which means "head".
Therefore, combining "medi-" and "cephalic" forms "medicephalic", which describes something related to the middle or average head shape or size.
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