Definition of SKULL

skull

Meanings

Plural: skulls

Noun

  • the bony skeleton of the head of vertebrates
  • The main bones of the head considered as a unit; including the cranium, facial bones, and mandible.
  • These bones as a symbol for death; death's-head.
  • The mind or brain.
  • A crust formed on the ladle, etc. by the partial cooling of molten metal.
  • The crown of the headpiece in armour.
  • A shallow bow-handled basket.
  • The head or master of a college.
  • Obsolete form of school (“a multitude”).

Verb

  • To hit in the head with a fist, a weapon, or a thrown object.
  • To strike the top of (the ball).
  • To drink everything that remains in a glass by upending it.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English sculle, scolle (also schulle, scholle), probably from a dialectal form of Old Norse skalli (“bald head, skull”), itself probably related to Old English sċealu (“husk”). Compare Scots scull, Danish skal (“skull”) and skalle (“bald head, skull”), Norwegian skalle, Swedish skalle and especially dialectal Swedish skulle.
Alternatively, perhaps from Old Norse skoltr, skolptr (“muzzle, snout”), akin to Icelandic skoltur (“jaw”), dialectal Swedish skult, skulle (“dome, crown of the head, skull”), Middle Dutch scolle, scholle, Middle Low German scholle, schulle (“clod, sod”), and Scots skult, skolt. Compare also Old High German sciula, skiula (“skull”).

Synonyms

brain bucket, brainbox, brainpan, cranium, harnpan, skull

Scrabble Score: 9

skull is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
skull is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
skull is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 12

skull is a valid Words With Friends word