cephalo- combining form. ['sɛfǝlǝʊ, 'kɛ-] Also (rare) kephalo- [k-]. Before a vowel or h also cephal-.
[from Greek kephalē head: see -O-.]
1. Forming nouns and adjectives with the sense 'head, skull'.
2. Pharmacology. Forming names of drugs related to cephalosporin.

■ cephalhaema'toma noun, pl. -mas, -mata [-mǝtǝ], Medicine a swelling caused by a collection of blood between the skull and pericranium E20.

■ cepha'litis noun (now rare or obsolete) = ENCEPHALITIS E19.

■ cephalocele noun (Medicine, now rare) = ENCEPHALOCELE L19.

■ cephalo'chordate adjective & noun (Zoology) (of, pertaining to, or designating) a protochordate animal of the subphylum Cephalochordata, a lancelet M20.

■ cephalo'metric adjective (Medicine) pertaining to or involving cephalometry L19.

■ cepha'lometry noun (Medicine) measurement of the head, esp. that of a foetus L19.

■ cephalo'pelvic adjective (Medicine) of the relation between the maternal pelvis and the foetal head M20.

■ cephalothin noun [THIO-] Pharmacology an antibiotic related to cephalosporin, used to treat bacterial infections M20.

■ cephalotho'racic adjective of or pertaining to a cephalothorax M19.

■ cephalo'thorax noun (Zoology) the fused head and thorax possessed by chelicerate arthropods and some crustaceans M19.

[TahlilGaran] English Dictionary ▲