A soft spot on a baby's skull where the bones haven't yet fused together, allowing the head to compress during birth and the brain to grow.
From French 'fontanelle,' a diminutive of 'fontaine' (fountain), chosen because the soft spot resembles a small spring or opening. The name was given by French anatomists because of its bubble-like appearance and the pulsing sensation felt there.
Doctors call it the 'diamond-shaped' or 'anterior' fontanel, and it actually pulses with your baby's heartbeat—parents throughout history have been fascinated by this living window into their baby's skull.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.