Mesaticephalic is a term used to describe human skulls that have a medium width to length ratio. The word is pronounced as /ˌmɛzətɪsɪˈfælɪk/ and is composed of three components: "mesa" means "middle," "tic" indicates "pertaining to the skull," and "cephalic" means "head or brain." The word's spelling may appear complex but can be broken down phonetically: meh-zuh-tuh-suh-fal-ik. Mesaticephalic skulls are often associated with cognitive ability and intelligence, but research has mixed outcomes on this topic.
Mesaticephalic is an adjective used to describe a certain head shape or cranial index in humans and animals. The term is derived from the Greek words "mesos" meaning middle and "cephalic" meaning head. It refers to a head shape characterized by having a moderate cranial index, which is a measurement related to the lateral width of the skull compared to its length.
When applied to humans, mesaticephalic typically refers to individuals who have heads with a relatively balanced proportion between width and length. This head shape is considered normal or average and is often associated with individuals of European descent. The cranial index of mesaticephalic individuals ranges between 75 and 80.
In animals, mesaticephalic is used to describe species or breeds that possess a head shape similar to the average human head. For example, certain dog breeds such as Labrador Retrievers or German Shepherds are considered mesaticephalic due to their proportional skull shape.
Understanding cranial indexes, including mesaticephalic, is important in fields such as anthropology, archaeology, and zoology as it provides insights into the genetic and morphological diversity of different populations and species.
Having a head of medium length. Noting a skull with a cephalic index between 75 and 80 and with a capacity of 1350 c.c. to 1450 c.c., or an individual with such a skull. Among the mesaticephalic races are the Europeans, American Indians, Polynesians, and Chinese.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
The term "Mesaticephalic" is derived from two Greek words: "mesos" meaning "middle" or "intermediate", and "kephalē" which translates to "head". "Mesaticephalic" is a compound word created by combining these two elements, referring to a type of skull and head shape that is considered to be intermediate or average.