skeletonnoun [ C ]
uk/ˈskel.ə.tən/us/ˈskel.ə.t̬ən/B2 the frame of bones supporting a human or animal body:
We found an old sheep skeleton up on the cliffs.
figurative Her long illness reduced her to a skeleton (= made her very thin).
the most basic form or structure of something:
The skeleton of my book is written/My book is in skeleton form - now I just have to add the details.
More examples
- The discovery of the dinosaur skeleton has cast light on why they became extinct.
- They used carbon dating tests to authenticate the claim that the skeleton was 2 million years old.
- We went to see the dinosaur skeletons in the Natural History Museum.
- They found a human skeleton under the building's foundations.
- He was so thin that you could see his skeleton through his skin.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Bone structures
- acetabular
- acetabulum
- acromial
- acromioclavicular
- acromion
- breastbone
- coccyx
- endoskeleton
- iliac
- ilium
- intercarpal
- intercondylar
- interosseous
- kneecap
- sacroiliac
- sacrospinous
- sacrotuberous
- sacrum
- sagittal
- trapezium
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Frames & structures
Idiom(s)
skeleton in the/your closet