Skulls

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The bony structures forming the head of vertebrates and protecting the brain are often referred to as craniums; collections of these structures are commonly used in art or symbolism; they can also signify mortality and the inevitability of death in various cultures
2. In anatomy, these rigid forms encase and safeguard the brain and sensory organs while providing attachment for facial muscles; groups of these bones can be depicted in decorations or science; in some beliefs, they are emblems of the human condition
3. Representing the protective framework for the brain and associated organs, these intricate bone formations serve vital functions; when found collectively, they may represent artistic themes or philosophical ideas; they symbolize the transient nature of life across cultures

Etymology: "Skulls" is simply the plural of "skull," so the story belongs to the singular. The word arrived in Middle English as "sculle" or "scolle," probably from a dialect form of Old Norse "skalli," meaning "bald head." That is a striking origin: the earliest sense points to the top of the head rather than the bony case around the brain, and it is linked to the adjective "skallig" and its relatives, all meaning "bald." The word's roots run deeper still. Scholars connect it to an old Germanic family of words that also gave Scots "scull," Danish "skal," and Swedish "skalle," all meaning the head or skull. Some related forms in other languages meant "clod" or "sod," suggesting a sense of a rounded lump or dome. A possible but uncertain link to Latin "celsus," meaning "lofty," would fit that picture of a rounded crown, though the connection remains debated.

Synonyms: craniums, heads, bones, frameworks, structures