What does caul mean?
A caul is the thin amniotic membrane that occasionally covers a newborn's head—or very rarely the entire body—at birth, so that the child is said to be 'born with a caul.' Because it is uncommon, the phenomenon has long attracted superstition: in many European traditions a caul was regarded as a lucky omen, and dried cauls were once carried as protective talismans, especially by sailors who hoped they would prevent drowning. The word has an older, largely historical sense as well: a caul was a close-fitting cap or decorated hair net worn by women in the medieval period, often visible in portraits of noblewomen. Today the word appears mainly in medical writing, folklore studies, and historical descriptions of clothing, giving it a somewhat literary or archaic flavour. Its vivid association with rare births and old beliefs makes it a memorable word despite its narrow range of use.
The amniotic membrane that encloses the head or body of a fetus at birth, especially when it remains intact over the newborn.
"She was born with a caul, which her family kept as a good-luck charm."
Almost always used in the phrase 'born with a caul' or 'born in the caul' in modern usage.
A close-fitting woman's cap or hair net, particularly one worn during the medieval period.
"Her headdress consisted of a linen caul pinned beneath a jewelled circlet."
Now chiefly historical, appearing in discussions of medieval costume and literature.
Regular plural formation; used both for multiple birth membranes and multiple historical head coverings.
"Museum displays included several embroidered cauls from the fifteenth century."
For centuries, babies born with a caul were thought lucky, and dried cauls were even sold to sailors as charms against drowning.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of caul
The word "caul" comes through Middle English from Old North French "cale," meaning a head covering, which itself likely derives from a late Latin term for a cap or hood. The sense of a woman's close-fitting cap or net dates from the medieval period, while the anatomical sense—the membrane at birth—developed later by analogy with that enveloping covering. It is not related to the Latin-derived anatomical term "omentum," sometimes called the 'caul' of animals, though the two are occasionally conflated.
How caul is actually used
The birth-membrane sense is the dominant modern meaning and appears mostly in medical, historical, and folkloric contexts. The hat sense is now almost exclusively encountered in discussions of medieval dress and literature.
Easily confused with caul
"Cawl" is a traditional Welsh soup made with lamb and vegetables, while "caul" is either the fetal membrane at birth or a medieval head covering.