Kraniale

Kraniale is a term used in German-language medical terminology as a declined form of the adjective kranial, meaning related to the cranium or skull. The base adjective kranial derives from Latin cranium via Greek kranion. The form kraniale appears as the feminine singular nominative/accusative form and in other cases as dictated by German grammar, for example die kraniale Struktur (the cranial structure) or eine kraniale Öffnung (a cranial opening). In English-language texts, the standard term is cranial; kraniale is encountered in translations or bilingual works.

In clinical contexts, cranial describes anything pertaining to the skull, including cranial bones, cranial base, and cranial nerves in Latinized terminology. The term is also used in comparative anatomy to refer to skull-related features across species. When writing bilingually, it is common to retain the original German adjective kranial/kraniale alongside the English cranial to preserve precision.

See also: cranial, cranium, skull.