Meanings
plural bucraniums · plural bucrania
- The depiction of the head of an ox, as ornamental flourishes in architectural works.
It was also in relation to the funerary world that bucrania were placed at the bottoms of the pits.
2000, Béatrix Midant-Reynes, The Prehistory of Egypt1 more example
On the second side of the gem, we see the victim, a running goat, and on the third side the symbol of sacrifice, the bucranium.
1986, Nanno Marinatos, Minoan Sacrificial Ritual
Origin
- Ancient Greekβουκράνιον
- Latinbūcrānium
- Englishbucranium
From Latin būcrānium, from Ancient Greek βουκράνιον (boukránion).
More words from Latin, Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek βουκράνιον
- βουκράνιον (boukránion)ox-head relief
Catalan bucrani
- bucraniox-head relief
French bucrane
- bucraneox-head relief
German Bukranion
- Bukranionox-head relief
Greek βουκράνιο
- βουκράνιο (voukránio)ox-head relief
Italian bucranio
- bucranioox-head relief
Latin būcrānium
- būcrāniumox-head relief
Polish bukranion
- bukranionox-head relief
Portuguese bucrânio
- bucrânioox-head relief
Russian букра́ний
- букра́ний (bukránij)ox-head relief
Spanish bucráneo
- bucráneoox-head relief
Ukrainian букра́ній
- букра́ній (bukránij)ox-head relief
Cite this entry
bucranium. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bucranium
“bucranium.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bucranium. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “bucranium,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bucranium.
Source: bucranium on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.