| occipital fontanel | A triangular interval at the union of the lambdoid and sagittal sutures where the occipital angles of the parietal bones meet the occipital. Synonym: fonticulus posterior, occipital fontanel. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| fontanel | 1. <medicine> An issue or artificial ulcer for the discharge of humors from the body. 2. <anatomy> One of the membranous intervals between the incompleted angles of the parietal and neighboring bones of a foetal or young skull; so called because it exhibits a rhythmical pulsation. In the human foetus 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. Origin: F. Fontanelle, prop, a little fountain, fr. Fontaine fountain. See Fountain. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| frontal fontanel | A diamond-shaped membranous interval at the junction of the coronal, sagittal, and metopic sutures where the frontal angles of the parietal bones meet the two ununited halves of the frontal bone. Synonym: fonticulus anterior, bregmatic fontanel, frontal fontanel. (05 Mar 2000) |