Middle English Dictionary Entry
cephalic(a adj. as n.
Entry Info
| Forms | cephalic(a adj. as n. |
| Etymology | L |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The cephalic vein, or one of its branches [which was bled to relieve headaches]; (b) a disease of the head; (c) medicine used in treatment of head wounds.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)80a/b : Passiouns of þe hed beþ I holpe..ȝif..we schal lete blood þe veyne þat hatte cephalca [L cephalica].
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)159/6 : Þe toþir partie of þis veyne..apperiþ bitwene þe fyngir and þe þombe, & is clepid cephalica.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)159/11 : Þere ben iiij veynys..sephelica..þat strecchiþ bi þe ouer partie, & basilica þat strecchiþ bi þe lower partie.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)14a/a : Þe toþer braunche..is shewed in þe..elbowe, And þer it is called cephalica..fro þat place it descendeþ downe to þe hand & it is shewed atuix þe þombe & þe shewyng fynger & þer it is said cephalica ocularis.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)156b/b : Þe stede of cephalic, i. heued veyne [*Ch.(2): of þe veyne cephalica; L cephalice].
- c1400 Veynes þer be (Wel 406)p.190 : In every harme ther ben fywe [veins to let blood]..Sephelica is that on..That body apleyt and the heved, He clansyt fro that ille weyd.
- a1500 Burg.Pest.(2) (Sln 2320)74/86 : Blede on the veyne that is called cephalica.
b
- [ a1400 Mirfeld Sinonoma (Pmb-O 2)15 : Cephalica est dolor capitis universalis. ]
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)79b/a : Accident is a þing þat folwiþ þese passiouns..as hedeache in cephatica [L cephalica].
c
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)70b/b : For to cure it alsone with drie farmaciez..which forsoþ is called cephalica.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)32b/b : Thus þanne þer beþ in þe arme v veynes, þat is to seye, dorsalis, epatica, fynys, cephalica, & cardiaca.
Note: Needed for date in sense (a).
Note: Modify gloss for sense (a) to include field label: Anat..--notes per MLL
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)46a/b : The veynes þat ben lete blood..in þe feet ben iiij..sephalica [L sophena], sciatica, venalis, and oon þat is vndir þe greete too.
Note: Probably an error for sophẹ̄na n.
Note: New form: Also..sephalica.
Note: New sense.
Note: Gloss: The saphenous vein of the foot;--?error for sophena n.
Note: In sense (b), (a1398) quot.: form cephatic may be a separate (new) entry. Etymology: formed by analogy with words such as epatī̆k adj.
Note: The list of variant spellings in the form section is incomplete and needs revision to accord with standards of later volumes of the MED. Provisional revised form section (including supplement form): Also cephalca, sephalica, sephelica & cephatic.--notes per MLL
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. cephalica.