cephalad

C3E1P3H4A1L1A1D2
/ˈsɛfəlæd/

adverb

Towards the head (or anterior extremity), a direction that in humans corresponds to superior.

Opposite
Scrabble 16

Meanings

adverbcephalad (comparative more cephalad, superlative most cephalad)

comparative more cephalad · superlative most cephalad

  1. anatomyTowards the head (or anterior extremity), a direction that in humans corresponds to superior.

    Perianal disease is common in patients with Crohn’s disease. Unfortunately, the perianal area often is poorly evaluated by barium studies because the enema tip may be inserted too cephalad or because exquisite anal tenderness may preclude adequate retrograde distension and evaluation.

    1996 July, Richard M. Gore, Emil J. Balthazar, Gary G. Ghahremani, Frank H. Miller, “CT Features of Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s Disease”, in American Journal of Roentgenology, volume 167, number 1, →DOI, page 9

    Antonyms: caudad

Synonyms & antonyms

adverbTowards the head (or anterior extremity), a direction that in humans corresponds to superior.

Opposite

Origin

Cite this entry
APA

cephalad. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cephalad

MLA

“cephalad.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cephalad. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “cephalad,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cephalad.

Source: cephalad on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.