Standard Lemma guide

skullcap

noun · 8 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈskʌlkæp/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: S K AH1 L K AE2 P Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A small domed cap that covers the area from the forehead to just above the back of the neck.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A yarmulke-like hat.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

The calvaria, the top part of the skull, covering the cranial cavity containing the brain.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: anatomy, medicine, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

Any of several species of flowering plants of the genus Scutellaria, in the Lamiaceae family.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: biology, botany, natural-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

A torture device for compressing the skull.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: historical

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

rounded brimless cap fitting the crown of the head

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: cap

Narrower terms: beanie, beany, coif, yarmulke, yarmulka, yarmelke

7

noun

Meaning 7

the dome of the skull

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: calvaria

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: bone, os

8

noun

Meaning 8

a herbaceous plant of the genus Scutellaria which has a calyx that, when inverted, resembles a helmet with its visor raised

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: helmetflower

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: herb, herbaceous plant

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English skull Late Latin cappabor. Proto-West Germanic *kappā Proto-West Germanic *kappijā Old English cæppe Middle English cappe English cap English skullcap From skull + cap.

Across languages

Translations

53 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Afrikaans: kippa — cap that covers the area from the forehead to just above the back of the neck
  • Afrikaans: skedelmus — cap that covers the area from the forehead to just above the back of the neck
  • Arabic: كِبَّة (kibba) — cap that covers the area from the forehead to just above the back of the neck
  • Armenian: թասակ (tʻasak) — cap that covers the area from the forehead to just above the back of the neck
  • Bulgarian: кипа (kipa) — cap that covers the area from the forehead to just above the back of the neck
  • Bulgarian: тюбетейка (tjubetejka) — cap that covers the area from the forehead to just above the back of the neck
  • Catalan: quipà — cap that covers the area from the forehead to just above the back of the neck
  • Chinese Mandarin: 卡巴 (kǎbā) — cap that covers the area from the forehead to just above the back of the neck
  • Czech: kipa — cap that covers the area from the forehead to just above the back of the neck
  • Dutch: kalotje — cap that covers the area from the forehead to just above the back of the neck
  • Finnish: kipa — cap that covers the area from the forehead to just above the back of the neck
  • French: kippa — cap that covers the area from the forehead to just above the back of the neck
  • French: calotte — cap that covers the area from the forehead to just above the back of the neck
  • German: Kippa — cap that covers the area from the forehead to just above the back of the neck
  • German: Schädeldecke — cap that covers the area from the forehead to just above the back of the neck
  • German: Scheitelkäppchen — cap that covers the area from the forehead to just above the back of the neck
  • Greek: σκούφος (skoúfos) — cap that covers the area from the forehead to just above the back of the neck
  • Hebrew: כִּפָּה (kipá) — cap that covers the area from the forehead to just above the back of the neck
  • Hungarian: sapka — cap that covers the area from the forehead to just above the back of the neck
  • Hungarian: fejfedő — cap that covers the area from the forehead to just above the back of the neck
  • Irish: bairéad cúil — cap that covers the area from the forehead to just above the back of the neck
  • Italian: kippah — cap that covers the area from the forehead to just above the back of the neck
  • Japanese: キッパー (kippā) — cap that covers the area from the forehead to just above the back of the neck
  • Japanese: キッパ (kippa) — cap that covers the area from the forehead to just above the back of the neck
  • Polish: jarmułka — cap that covers the area from the forehead to just above the back of the neck
  • Portuguese: quipá — cap that covers the area from the forehead to just above the back of the neck
  • Portuguese: solidéu — cap that covers the area from the forehead to just above the back of the neck
  • Russian: ермо́лка (jermólka) — cap that covers the area from the forehead to just above the back of the neck
  • Russian: кипа́ (kipá) — cap that covers the area from the forehead to just above the back of the neck
  • Russian: скуфья́ (skufʹjá) — cap that covers the area from the forehead to just above the back of the neck
  • Spanish: kipá — cap that covers the area from the forehead to just above the back of the neck
  • Ottoman Turkish: طرپوش (tarpuş) — cap that covers the area from the forehead to just above the back of the neck
  • Turkmen: derlik — cap that covers the area from the forehead to just above the back of the neck
  • Volapük: kalut — cap that covers the area from the forehead to just above the back of the neck
  • Welsh: cap corun — cap that covers the area from the forehead to just above the back of the neck
  • Yiddish: יאַרמלקע (yarmlke) — cap that covers the area from the forehead to just above the back of the neck
  • Afrikaans: skedelmus — hat
  • Finnish: patalakki — hat
  • French: calotte — hat
  • Greek: σκούφος (skoúfos) — hat
  • Hungarian: kipa — hat
  • Hungarian: jarmulke — hat
  • Hungarian: fejfedő — hat
  • Hungarian: sábeszdekli — hat
  • Afrikaans: helmkruid — flowering plant
  • Bulgarian: превара (prevara) — flowering plant
  • Finnish: vuohennokka — flowering plant
  • French: scutellaire — flowering plant
  • German: Helmkraut — flowering plant
  • Irish: cochall — flowering plant
  • Polish: tarczyca — flowering plant
  • Portuguese: perilômia — flowering plant
  • Romanian: gura-lupului — flowering plant
Real reading context

skullcap in complete knowledge articles