Category:Fontanel

Fon"ta*nel`, n. Etym: [F. fontanelle, prop., a little fountain, fr. fontaine fountain. See Fountain.]

1. (Med.)

Defn: An issue or artificial ulcer for the discharge of humors from the body.[Obs.] Wiseman.

2. (Anat.)

Defn: One of the membranous intervals between the incompleted angles of the parietal and neighboring bones of a fetal or young skull; -- so called because it exhibits a rhythmical pulsation.

Note: In the human fetus there are six fontanels, of which the anterior, or bregmatic, situated at the junction of the coronal and sagittal sutures, is much the largest, and remains open a considerable time after birth.