cephalic

• (archaic) cephalick

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

• (US) enPR: sĭfăl' ĭk, IPA^(key): /sɪˈfælɪk/; occasionally IPA^(key): /ˈsɛfəlɪk/ in parallel with /ˈsɛfəlæd/ and /ˈsɛfəl(oʊ)-/.

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

cephalic (comparative more cephalic, superlative most cephalic)

1. Of or relating to the head.
   • 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:

     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.

   1. Of or relating to the brain.
      • 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:

        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.

      • 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:

        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.

   2. Of or relating to the cephalon (the head of a trilobite).
2. (anatomical terms of location and direction) Toward the head; in bipeds such as humans, this direction corresponds to superior.

   Synonym: cephalad

   Antonym: caudal

3. Headlike; cephaloid.

• cephalo-
• -cephalic

• (etymology) Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary, 10th Edition