skeleton

American  

[skel-i-tn] / ˈskɛl ɪ tn /

noun

1. Anatomy, Zoology.  the bones of a human or an animal considered as a whole, together forming the framework of the body.

2. any of various structures forming a rigid framework in an invertebrate.

3. an emaciated person or animal.

4. a supporting framework, as of a leaf, building, or ship.

5. an outline, as of a literary work.

   the skeleton of the plot.

6. something reduced to its essential parts.

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adjective

1. of or relating to a skeleton.

2. like or being a mere framework; reduced to the essential or minimal parts or numbers.

   a skeleton staff.

idioms

1. skeleton in the closet / cupboard,

   1. a family scandal that is concealed to avoid public disgrace.

   2. any embarrassing, shameful, or damaging secret.

2. 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 British  

/ ˈskɛlɪtən /

noun

1. 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

2. informal  a very thin emaciated person or animal

3. the essential framework of any structure, such as a building or leaf, that supports or determines the shape of the rest of the structure

4. an outline consisting of bare essentials

   the skeleton of a novel

5. (modifier) reduced to a minimum

   a skeleton staff

6. a scandalous fact or event in the past that is kept secret

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skeleton Scientific  

/ skĕl′ĭ-tn /

1. 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.

2. A hard protective covering or supporting structure of invertebrate animals.

3. See also endoskeleton exoskeleton

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Usage

What is the sport of skeleton? Skeleton is a sport in which an individual racer rides a small, railed sled headfirst down an ice-covered chute with the goal of reaching the finish line as quickly as possible. The sled itself is also called a skeleton.The sport is sometimes also called skeleton sledding. The sled is sometimes called a skeleton bobsled or skeleton bobsleigh. Racers steer by making slight shifts in their body position. To slow down, racers can drag a foot on the ice.Skeleton is known as one of the sliding sports, along with luge and bobsleigh (also called bobsled), which take place on a similar course. In skeleton, racers ride on their stomachs, in contrast with luge, in which racers lie on their backs.Skeleton is an event in the Winter Olympics.Due to the vulnerable position of the athletes and the extremely high speeds they can reach—over 80 mph (129 km/h)—skeleton is considered one of the most dangerous winter sports.Example: Skeleton seems very similar to luge, but the strategies used in each sport are actually quite different.

Other Word Forms

• skeletal adjective
• skeletally adverb
• skeleton-like adjective
• skeletonless adjective
• skeletonlike adjective

Etymology

Origin of skeleton

1570–80; < New Latin < Greek: mummy, noun use of neuter of skeletós dried up, verbid of skéllein to dry

Example Sentences

To examine how acidity has evolved over time, the researchers analyzed historic coral samples and measured boron isotope signatures preserved in their skeletons.

From Science Daily

In this process, the outer soft tissues of the animal were preserved as a delicate clay coating that settled over the skeleton after burial, forming a mask less than 1/100th of an inch thick.

From Science Daily

Because sharks possess skeletons made of cartilage, their bodies rarely fossilize.

From Science Daily

The bio-built skeletons of corals, for example, have proved to be “a more successful template” for bone growth than any synthetic material.

From The Wall Street Journal

The artwork depicts Kahlo sleeping in a bed that appears to float through the sky, beneath a skeleton with its legs wrapped in sticks of dynamite.

From Barron's

Related Words

• frame
• scaffolding