"pertaining to the head," early 15c., from Latin cephalicus, from Greek kephalikos "pertaining to the head," from kephalē "head" (see cephalo-).
Entries linking to cephalic
cephalo-
before vowels, cephal-, word-forming element meaning "head, skull, brain," Modern Latin combining form of Greek kephalē "head, uppermost or top part, source," from PIE *ghebh-el- (source also of Tocharian spal "head;" Old High German gebal "skull;" also, via the notion of "front," Gothic gibla, Old Norse gafl "side of a facade").