Final answer:
A ball-and-socket joint is a synovial joint characterized by a ball-like end fitting into a concave socket, providing extensive range of motions and found primarily in the hip and shoulder.
Step-by-step explanation:
The type of synovial joint where the smooth head of one bone fits into the cuplike depression of another is known as a ball-and-socket joint. This joint is characterized by the spherical end of one bone (the ball) fitting into the concave depression (the socket) of the adjacent bone. The hip and shoulder joints are classic examples of ball-and-socket joints, providing a wide range of motion in all directions, which makes them functionally classified as multiaxial joints.