cephalic

C3E1P3H4A1L1I1C3
US/sɪˈfælɪk/US/ˈsɛfəlɪk/

adjective

Of or relating to the head.

Similar
Opposite
UncommonScrabble 17

Meanings

adjectivecephalic (comparative more cephalic, superlative most cephalic)

comparative more cephalic · superlative most cephalic · alternative cephalick

  1. Of or relating to the head.
    1 more example

    The objective of this study was to identify the factors predictive of the success of external cephalic version (ECV). […] The study shows that transverse foetal presentation, a senior physician operator, multiparity, as well as a non-anterior placental location are factors predictive of the success of ECV.

    2021, Léa Cillard, Caroline Verhaeghe, Andrew Spiers, Sebastien Madzou, Philippe Descamps, Guillaume Legendre, Romain Corroenne, “External cephalic version: predictors for success”, in J Gynecol Obstet Hum Reprod, volume 50, number 9, →DOI, →PMID, page 102165
    1. Of or relating to the brain.
      2 more examples

      I was at the Mathematical School, where the Maſter taught his Pupils after a Method ſcarce imaginable to us in Europe. The Propoſition and Demonſtration were fairly written on a thin Wafer, with Ink compoſed of a Cephalick Tincture. This the Student was to ſwallow upon a faſting Stomach, and for three days following eat nothing but Bread and Water. As the Wafer digeſted, the Tincture mounted to his Brain, bearing the Propoſition along with it.

      1726 October 28, [Jonathan Swift], “The Author Permitted to See the Grand Academy of Lagado. […]”, in Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. […] [Gulliver’s Travels], volume II, London: […] Benj[amin] Motte, […], →OCLC, part III (A Voyage to Laputa, Balnibarbi, Glubbdubdribb, Luggnagg, and Japan), page 78

      Cephalic phase responses (CPRs) are conditioned anticipatory physiological responses to food cues. They occur before nutrient absorption and are hypothesized to be important for satiation and glucose homeostasis. Cephalic phase insulin responses (CPIRs) and pancreatic polypeptide responses (CPPPRs) are found consistently in animals, but human literature is inconclusive. We performed a systematic review of human studies to determine the magnitude and onset time of these CPRs.

      2020, Marlou P Lasschuijt, Monica Mars, Cees de Graaf, Paul A M Smeets, “Endocrine cephalic phase responses to food cues: a systematic review”, in Advances in Nutrition, volume 11, number 5, →DOI, →PMID, pages 1364–1383
    2. Of or relating to the cephalon (the head of a trilobite).
  2. anatomical terms of location and directionToward the head; in bipeds such as humans, this direction corresponds to superior.

    Synonyms: cephalad · Antonyms: caudal

nouncephalic (plural cephalics)

plural cephalics · alternative cephalick

  1. obsoletemedicineA remedy that benefits the head or brain.

    […] recover their Sight […] by the use of Bleeding, Purging, Blistering and Cephalics.

    1707, Hans Sloane, A Voyage to the Islands Madera, Barbados, Nievas, S. Christophers and Jamaica, page cliv
    1 more example

    All that of this Form could be titled Stomachics, we have subjoin'd to this Division, because they are all of the Aromatic kind, and thereby claim equally to be Cephalics. The latter we have given, extend their Influences to the Head and whole nervous System, at the same time that they warm, comfort, and strengthen the Fibres of the Stomach, and dissipate Flatulencies, corrugate the Membranes, and promote Digestion: […]

    1724, John Quincy, Pharmacopœia officinalis & extemporanea, page 595

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveToward the head; in bipeds such as humans, this direction corresponds to superior.

Similar
Opposite

More synonyms by meaning

adjectiveof or relating to the head

Opposite
Also see

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekκεφαλικός“capital”
  2. Latincephalicus“head”
  3. Middle Frenchcéphalique
  4. Englishcephalic

From Middle French céphalique, from Latin cephalicus (“head”), from Ancient Greek κεφαλικός (kephalikós, “capital”), from κεφαλή (kephalḗ, “head”).

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic رَأْسِيّ
  • رَأْسِيّ (raʔsiyy)of or referring to the head
Catalan cefàlic
  • cefàlicof or referring to the head
Esperanto testa
  • testaof or referring to the head
Finnish kefaalinen
  • kefaalinenof or referring to the head
French céphalique
  • céphaliqueof or referring to the head
German Kopf-
  • Kopf-of or referring to the head
Greek κεφαλικός
  • κεφαλικός (kefalikós)of or referring to the head
Italian cefalico
  • cefalicoof or referring to the head
Polish głowowy
  • głowowyof or referring to the head
Portuguese cefálico
  • cefálicoof or referring to the head
Russian головно́й
  • головно́й (golovnój)of or referring to the head
Spanish cefálico
  • cefálicoof or referring to the head
Tagalog uluhin, pang-ulo
  • uluhinof or referring to the head
  • pang-uloof or referring to the head
Turkish sefalik, başçıl
  • sefalikof or referring to the head
  • başçılof or referring to the head
Ukrainian головни́й
  • головни́й (holovnýj)of or referring to the head
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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