�y��vlog

Cranio- is a combining form used like a prefix representing the word cranium, the skull, especially the part that covers the brain. It is often used in medical terms, especially in anatomy.

Cranio- ultimately comes from the Greek ������í�Dz�, meaning “skull.”

What are variants of cranio-?

When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, cranio- becomes crani-, as in craniectomy.

An example of a word you may have encountered that features cranio- is craniotomy, “the operation of opening the skull, usually for operations on the brain.”

We know that cranio- means “skull,” but what about the –tomy part of the word? It means “cutting, incision.” Craniotomy literally translates to “skull cutting.”

What are some words that use the combining form cranio-?

• craniocele
• craniocerebral
• craniocleidodysostosis
• craniofacial
• craniograph
• craniomalacia
• craniometer
• craniopathy
• cranioplasty
• cranioscopy

What are some other forms that cranio- may be commonly confused with?

• carpo-
• carcino-
• cephalo-
• cortico-

The combining form -meter means “measure,” and it is used to name measuring instruments. What does a craniometer measure the dimensions of?