A historical instrument designed to measure the size or capacity of the brain or skull, used in now-discredited theories of intelligence.
From Latin cerebrum (brain) + Greek -metron (measure). Created during the 19th-century pseudoscience of phrenology and craniometry, when scientists mistakenly believed brain size directly determined intelligence.
The cerebrometer is a cautionary tale in science: respectable scholars used it to 'prove' racial hierarchies and gender differences in intelligence, a perfect example of how measurement tools can measure bias rather than biology.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.