cephalo-

1. a combining form meaning “head,” used in the formation of compound words.

   cephalometry.

cephalo-

combining form

1. indicating the head

   cephalopod

Word History and Origins

Origin of cephalo-¹

< Greek kephalo-, combining form of kephalḗ head; akin to gable

Word History and Origins

Origin of cephalo-¹

via Latin from Greek kephalo-, from kephale head

Example Sentences

In a history of that interdisciplinary program, one former student recalled that Dr. Kennedy climbed onto a lab table at the front of the lecture hall and assumed a quadruped position “to demonstrate to us the concepts of dorsal, ventral, cephalo and caudal.”

From Washington Post

Enraged at this, she tells her father that she will not be appeased until married to Cephalo.

From Project Gutenberg

But she loses her life through the falling of an old, dilapidated castle wherein she has been keeping an unconventional tryst, and Cephalo becomes the intimate friend of the painter.

From Project Gutenberg

Alberto has no will at all, Leda not much, Cephalo less than Leda, and Danae is without character.

From Project Gutenberg

Briefly stated, the plot is as follows: Leda, the daughter of a Roman duke, loves Cephalo, who is a gentleman but not a nobleman, and is loved by him.

From Project Gutenberg

When To Use

What does cephalo- mean?

Cephalo- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “head.” It is often used in medical and scientific terms.Cephalo- comes from the Greek kephalḗ, meaning “head.”What are variants of cephalo-?When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, cephalo- becomes cephal-, as in cephalalgia.Corresponding forms of cephalo- combined to the end of words are -cephaly, -cephalic, and -cephalous, which you can learn more about in our Words That Use articles for each form.Also deriving from kephalḗ are the combining forms encephalo- and encephal-, meaning “brain.”Want to know more? Read our Words That Use encephalo- and encephal- articles.