What does "pterion" mean?

The point corresponding with the posterior end of the sphenoparietal suture; known as the weakest part of the skull.

Pterion

//ˈtɛɹɪən// noun

noun ·Rare ·Advanced level

Noun

1
The point corresponding with the posterior end of the sphenoparietal suture; known as the weakest part of the skull.
"Then standing before a closet mirror, he put the automatic to his head, at the point of the pterion, and pressed the comfortably concaved trigger."
2
the craniometric point in the region of the sphenoid fontanelle wordnet

"Then standing before a closet mirror, he put the automatic to his head, at the point of the pterion, and pressed the comfortably concaved trigger."

From French ptérion, from ptère (“wing of the sphenoid bone”) + -ion, from Ancient Greek πτερόν (pterón, “wing”).

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.