Crânienne

Crânienne is a French anatomical adjective meaning relating to the cranium, or skull. It is the feminine form of crânien and is used with feminine nouns to describe anatomical structures, conditions, or regions associated with the skull. Common instances include cavité crânienne (cranial cavity) and pathologie crânienne (cranial pathology).

In medical and anatomical contexts, crânienne distinguishes skull-related aspects from those pertaining to the brain or head more broadly. It is often contrasted with intracrânien, meaning located inside the skull, and with extracrânien, meaning outside the skull. The masculine counterpart crânien is used with masculine nouns such as os crânien (cranial bone) or nerf crânien (cranial nerve).

Originating from crâne, the French noun for skull, crânienne carries the typical feminine suffix -enne. The term appears mainly in formal or clinical language and is less common in everyday speech. Its use helps specify that a feature or condition concerns the skull itself rather than the brain or other parts of the head.