plagiocephaly /plā′jē·ōsef″əlē/ [Gk, plagios, askew, kephale, head] , a congenital malformation of the skull in which premature or irregular closure of the coronal or lambdoidal sutures results in asymmetric growth of the head, giving it a twisted, lopsided appearance so that the maximum length is not along the midline but on a diagonal. Also called plagiocephalism. See also craniostenosis. −plagiocephalous, plagiocephalic, adj.
