combining form of Gr. κεφαλή head, used as the first element in many technical words:
a. in combinations, such as cephalo-branchiate a. [see BRANCHIATE], having gills upon the head; cephalo-cathartic a., ‘purging the head’ (Syd. Soc. Lex.); cephalo-extractor, an instrument for extracting a fœtus by the head; cephalo-humeral a. [see HUMERAL], name of a muscle in the horse and other animals, analogous to the cleido-mastoid part of the sterno-cleido-mastoid in man; cephalo-orbital a. [see ORBITAL], see quot.; cephalo-pharyngeal a. [see PHARYNGEAL], relating to the head and pharynx; cephalo-rhachidian a. [Gr. ῥάχις spine], belonging to the head and the spine, cerebro-spinal; cephalo-spinal a., bad synonym of prec.
b. in derivative formations, as Cephalocele [see CELE], a tumor in the head. Cephalograph [Gr. -γραφος writer], an instrument by which the contour of the head may be reproduced on paper. Cephalography [Gr. -γραφία writing], a description of the head. Cephalohæmometer [Gr. αἶμα blood + μέτρον measure], an instrument for measuring variations of blood-pressure in the head. Cephalology, ‘a treatise on the head’ (Syd. Soc. Lex.). † Cephalomancy [Gr. μαντεία divination], divination by means of a head (see quot.). Cephalomant [Gr. μάντις diviner], a professor of cephalomancy. Cephalometer [Gr. μέτρον measure], ‘an instrument formerly used for ascertaining the size of the fœtal head during parturition; also, an instrument used in the measurement of the different angles of the skull’ (Syd. Soc. Lex.). Cephalophorous a. [Gr. -φορος bearing], having a distinct head, applied to the Cephalates among mollusks. Cephalopterous a. [Gr. πτέρον wing], having a winged or feathered head. Cephalostat [Gr. στατός standing], a head-rest; an instrument for fixing the head during an operation. Cephalostegite [Gr. στέγειν to cover closely + -ITE], ‘the anterior division of the large calcified dorsal shield of Podophthalmia’ (Syd. Soc. Lex.). Cephalotaxus [L. taxus yew], Bot., a genus of Conifers, called Cluster-flowered Yew, natives of N. China and Japan. Cephalotome [Gr. -τομος adj., cutting], ‘an instrument for cutting or breaking down the head of the fœtus in the operation of embryotomy’ (Syd. Soc. Lex.). Cephalotomist [see -IST], one skilled in cephalotomy. Cephalotomy [Gr. -τομία sb., cutting], the dissection of the head; also, the operation mentioned under cephalotome. Cephalotractor, a term for the midwifery forceps. Cephalotribe [Gr. τρίβειν to rub, bruise], an instrument used in cephalotripsy. Cephalotripsy [Gr. τρῖψις rubbing, bruising], the operation of crushing the head of the fœtus with a cephalotribe, in cases of difficult delivery.
1871. W. A. Hammond, Dis. Nerv. Syst., 56. Experiments with the *cephalo-hæmometer.
1881. Mivart, Cat, 137. The origin of the *cephalo-humeral.
a. 1693. Urquhart, Rabelais, III. xxv. *Cephalomancy, often practised amongst the High Germans in their boiling of an Asses Head upon burning Coals.
1860. Reade, Eighth Commandm., 202. The *Cephalomant is he who opposes à priori reasoning, or mere assumption, to direct evidence, present or accessible.
1878. Bartley, trans. Topinard’s Anthrop., II. iii. 296. A special *cephalometer. Ibid., II. ii. 232. The sum of the volume of both orbits thus obtained he compares with the cerebral capacity. This is the *cephalo-orbital index.
1839–47. Todd, Cycl. Anat., III. 945/2. This aponeurosis, named *cephalo-pharyngeal. Ibid., V. 106/1. The *cephalorachidian fluid.
1870. Rolleston, Anim. Life, 91. The anterior portion of the carapace is called the *‘cephalo-stegite.’
1883. S. B. Parsons, in Harper’s Mag., April, 726/2. A *cephalotaxus—a yew-like Japanese plant—with very light foliage.
1869. Eng. Mech., 19 March, 577/2. A *cephalotomist and neurologist.
1836–9. Todd, Cycl. Anat., II. 332/2. The necessity of performing *cephalotomy.
1860. F. Churchill, Midwifery, 366. M. Baudeloque junr. has invented an instrument which he calls a *‘cephalotribe.’
1876. Leishman, Midwifery, xxxii. *Cephalotripsy.
