megasemeadj.n.
/ˈmɛɡəsiːm/, U.S. /ˈmɛɡəˌsim/ Physical Anthropology. Now rare.
Of the orbit of a person's eye: having a large orbital index, spec. having an orbital index greater than 89. Of a person, a person's skull, etc.: characterized by such an orbital index. Also as n.
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the world > life > the body > structural parts > bone or bones > skull > skull measurement > [adjective] > types
short-headed1802
beloid1833
microcephalous1840
platycephalous1846
long-skulled1847
round-headed1847
brachycephalic1849
dolichocephalic1849
acrocephalic1855
megacephalous1857
microcephalic1857
cymbocephalic1861
macrocephalous1861
platycephalic1861
macrocephalic1863
phaenozygous1863
dolichocephalous1864
homoeocephalic1866
mecistocephalic1866
mecocephalic1866
mesocephalic1866
orthocephalic1866
stenocephalic1866
cryptozygous1867
megalocephalic1868
aphanozygous1871
brachycephalous1872
orthocephalous1872
mesaticephalic1873
plagiocephalic1873
plagiocephalic1874
mesaticephalous1876
mesorrhine1877
platyrrhine1877
cylindro-cephalic1878
eurycephalic1878
hypsistenocephalic1878
megaseme1878
mesoseme1878
microseme1878
oxycephalic1878
oxyklinocephalic1878
platybasic1878
pyrgocephalic1878
tapinocephalic1878
megacephalic1879
hypsiconchous1885
mesoconchous1885
chamaeprosopic1886
leptocephalic1886
mesorrhinian1887
long-headed1888
tectocephalic1888
mecistocephalous1890
megalocephalous1890
plagiocephalous1890
mesocephal1891
stegoid1894
brachycranial1902
chamaecephalic1902
chamaeconchic1902
chamaecranial1902
macrocranial1902
platycranial1902
stenocranial1904
mesoconch1905
mesoconchic1909
hypsiconch1920
Lapponoid1939
hypsiconchic1960
1878 W. H. Flower in Notices Proc. Royal Inst. Great Brit. 8 617 It is convenient to group them [sc. orbital indices] into three—the high (megaseme), intermediate (mesoseme), and low (microseme).
1879 W. H. Flower Catal. Osteol. i. 256 The females are all megaseme.
1890 Cent. Dict. Megaseme, a skull having a large index.
1900 Jrnl. Anthropol. Inst. 30 121 The ancient skulls of the Rhone Valley are for the most part brachycephalic, leptoprosopic, mesorrhine, and megaseme.
1916 Man 16 37 Sets of skulls and facial parts represented..microseme and megaseme orbits, leptorhinic and platyrhinic noses, and the three main types of shape of the vault.
1921 Jrnl. Royal Anthropol. Inst. 51 347 The proportion of the width (39 mm.) to the height (35 mm.) of the apertures gives an orbital index of 89.7. They thus fall into the category of ‘megaseme’.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2001; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.n.1878