† acephal, a. and n. Obs. rare
Also asephal.
[a. Fr. acéphale, ad. late L. acephal-us: see Acephali.]
A. adj. Having no head or chief; = acephalous.
| 1549 Compl. Scot. xx. 167 There is ane vthir sort of veyris callit battellis asephales, that is, quhen the pepil gadris togiddir in ane grit conuentione but the autorite of the superior. |
B. n. A (supposed) headless animal; = acephalan.
| 1607 Topsell Four-footed Beasts (1673) 9 The West region of Lybia and æthiopia have great store of Cynocephals, Babouns, and Acephals, beasts without a head, whose eyes and mouth are in their breasts. |