Which root denotes the skull?

Which root denotes the skull?

• A. Cephal
• B. Crani
• C. Chloe
• D. Col

Answer: (B)

In medical terminology, the skull is indicated by the root crani-. This form comes from cranium and is used in terms that specifically relate to the skull bones, such as craniectomy, craniotomy, and cranioplasty. Cephal- comes from a Greek word meaning head in general, so it covers the head as a region rather than the skull bones themselves (examples include cephalalgia and cephalometry). The other two options aren’t standard roots used to denote the skull—one isn’t a recognized medical combining form, and the other typically relates to areas like the colon or other structures, not the skull. So the root that denotes the skull is crani-.

In medical terminology, the skull is indicated by the root crani-. This form comes from cranium and is used in terms that specifically relate to the skull bones, such as craniectomy, craniotomy, and cranioplasty.

Cephal- comes from a Greek word meaning head in general, so it covers the head as a region rather than the skull bones themselves (examples include cephalalgia and cephalometry). The other two options aren’t standard roots used to denote the skull—one isn’t a recognized medical combining form, and the other typically relates to areas like the colon or other structures, not the skull.

So the root that denotes the skull is crani-.