1.
[syn: fontanelle, fontanel, soft spot]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Fontanel \Fon"ta*nel`\, n. [F. fontanelle, prop., a little
fountain, fr. fontaine fountain. See Fountain.]
1. (Med.) An issue or artificial ulcer for the discharge of
humors from the body.[Obs.] --Wiseman.
[1913 Webster]
2. (Anat.) 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.
[1913 Webster]
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.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
fontanel
n 1: any membranous gap between the bones of the cranium in an
infant or fetus [syn: fontanelle, fontanel, soft
spot]