| skeletal system n. The bodily system that consists of the bones, their associated cartilages, and the joints, and supports and protects the body, produces blood cells, and stores minerals. |
The framework of the body, consisting of bones and other connective tissues, which protects and supports the body tissues and internal organs. The human skeleton contains 206 bones, six of which are the tiny bones of the middle ear (three in each ear) that function in hearing. The largest bone in the body is the thigh bone, or femur.