Advertisement
Advertisement
skeleton
[ skel-i-tn ]
noun
- Anatomy, Zoology. the bones of a human or an animal considered as a whole, together forming the framework of the body.
- any of various structures forming a rigid framework in an invertebrate.
- an emaciated person or animal.
- a supporting framework, as of a leaf, building, or ship.
- an outline, as of a literary work:
the skeleton of the plot.
- something reduced to its essential parts.
adjective
- of or relating to a skeleton.
- like or being a mere framework; reduced to the essential or minimal parts or numbers:
a skeleton staff.
skeleton
/ ˈskɛlɪtən /
noun
- a hard framework consisting of inorganic material that supports and protects the soft parts of an animal's body and provides attachment for muscles: may be internal (an endoskeleton), as in vertebrates, or external( an exoskeleton), as in arthropods See also endoskeleton exoskeleton
- informal.a very thin emaciated person or animal
- the essential framework of any structure, such as a building or leaf, that supports or determines the shape of the rest of the structure
- an outline consisting of bare essentials
the skeleton of a novel
- modifier reduced to a minimum
a skeleton staff
- skeleton in the cupboard or skeleton in the closeta scandalous fact or event in the past that is kept secret
skeleton
/ skĕl′ĭ-tn /
- The internal structure of vertebrate animals, composed of bone or cartilage, that supports the body, serves as a framework for the attachment of muscles, and protects the vital organs and associated structures.
- A hard protective covering or supporting structure of invertebrate animals.
- See also endoskeleton
Discover More
Derived Forms
- ˈskeleton-ˌlike, adjective
- ˈskeletal, adjective
- ˈskeletally, adverb
Discover More
Other Words From
- skele·ton·less adjective
- skele·ton·like adjective
Discover More
Word History and Origins
Origin of skeleton1
Discover More
Word History and Origins
Origin of skeleton1
Discover More
Idioms and Phrases
- skeleton at the feast, a person or thing that casts gloom over a joyful occasion; a note or reminder of sorrow in the midst of joy.
- skeleton in the closet / cupboard,
- a family scandal that is concealed to avoid public disgrace.
- any embarrassing, shameful, or damaging secret.
Discover More
Example Sentences
That meant the talent that DJ Brinsely hired that night performed for a skeleton audience.
The identity of the skeleton remains the big question, and answers may not be forthcoming anytime soon.
Enriqueta Romero put a skeleton on the sidewalk, and helped give us Santa Muerte.
Day of the Dead parades follow a cross-cultural flow, embellishing Halloween stylizations of the dancing skeleton.
Posada used the skeleton as a way of talking about politics, commenting on life.
The sun was printing over the floor the shadow skeleton of the juniper-tree by the westerly window.
The mutilated skeleton of a girl was found, which had apparently been in that place for considerably over a hundred years.
A well preserved natural skeleton of this animal was brought home and deposited in the British Museum.
The veriest tyro in natural history would see that at the first glance of the massive skeleton.
The chestnuts are stripped bare already and lift their black skeleton arms in the air.
Advertisement
Discover More
Related Words
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Browse