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Brachycephaly
To have a short, broad head. Technically, brachycephaly is defined as a skull with a cephalic index over 80. The cephalic index is a rating scale that is used to measure the size of the head. The rating on the cephalic index is obtained by multiplying the maximum width of the head by 100 and dividing that number by the maximum length of the head. A cephalic index between 76 and 80 is considered normal.

Brachycephaly is present since birth and is caused when the skull is formed incorrectly. Specifically, bones of the skull (known as coronal sutures) come together too early, which results in the head growing out too much to the sides. The coronal sutures connect the frontal (front) bone of the skull with the bone directly behind it (the parietal bone). The growth of the head to the sides is what gives it the short and broad appearance that it is characteristic of brachycephaly. The Native Americans Indians, Burmese (people from Burma), and Malays (people from the Malay Peninsula), are races of people that are characterized with brachycephaly

Compare brachycephaly to dolichocephaly, which is a long head. A normal, medium sized head is known as mesocephalic. Brachycephaly is also known as brachycephalia and brachycephalism. Brachycephaly comes from the Greek word "brachys" meaning "short," and the Greek word "kephale" meaning "head." Put the words together and you have "short head."