scull

Preserved but no longer current.

Meaning · English

Or SKULL, the head, or master of a college.—University, but nearly obsolete; the gallery, however, in St. Mary’s (the Oxford University church), where the "Heads of Houses" sit in solemn state, is still nicknamed the "Golgotha" by the undergraduates.

Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)

Where it’s used: Origin British & Irish English
Sources & notes

Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.

Common questions

What does “scull” mean?

Or SKULL, the head, or master of a college.—University, but nearly obsolete; the gallery, however, in St. Mary’s (the Oxford University church), where the "Heads of Houses" sit in solemn state, is still nicknamed the "Golgotha" by the undergraduates.

Is “scull” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.