Definitions
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. In pathology, an opening for the discharge of pus.
- n. A vacancy between bones of the skull of a young animal, due to incompleteness of the process of ossification. The principal fontanelles of the human infant's skull are at the corners of the parietal bones, between these and the frontal, occipital, and squamosal, respectively. The frontoparietal fontanelle is the largest and lasts the longest causing the “soft spot” which may be felt just above the forehead.
- n. Some similar opening between other bones, as in the scapular arch of some batrachians.
- n. Also fontinel.
Wiktionary
- n. A soft membraneous spot on the head of a baby due to incomplete fusion of the cranial bones.
GNU Webster's 1913
- n. Same as fontanel, 2.
WordNet 3.0
- n. any membranous gap between the bones of the cranium in an infant or fetus
Examples
“I was told by one of the faces around me that this was called the "fontanelle," or "soft spot.”
“My mother said its called a fontanelle and that all babies have one.”
“soft spot," or anterior fontanelle, which is flat and soft while the child is quiet.”
“If a fontanelle feels very sunken, it can be a sign of dehydration.”
“A full or bulging fontanelle soft spot located on the top of the head”
“His wife didn't approve of his profession anymore, saw it as a soft spot in the skull like a baby's fontanelle.”
“Bulging fontanelle (soft spot on top of the baby's head)”
“The other point on the top of the head is approximately one inch behind the posterior fontanelle and on the centerline.”
“One is at the center, top of the crown, approximately one inch in front of the posterior fontanelle (soft spot).”
“She glanced down at the top of the baby's head, at the translucent pulse beneath his fontanelle.”
Nineteen Minutes
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seanahan The soft spot on an infant's head. Oct 28, 2007