skeletal

[skel-i-tl]

adjective

1. of, relating to, or like a skeleton.

Other Word Forms

• skeletally adverb
• nonskeletal adjective
• nonskeletally adverb
• pseudoskeletal adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of skeletal¹

First recorded in 1850–55; skelet(on) + -al ¹

Example Sentences

She said Reggie was born with a number of health complications, including oesophageal atresia and skeletal dysplasia, meaning he will have to have both legs amputated.

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The firestorms engulfed 59 square miles of Southern California — more than twice the size of Manhattan — transforming entire city blocks in Altadena and Pacific Palisades into corridors of ashes, twisted metal and skeletal trees.

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The skeletal remains of a man who went missing six years ago were found by a walker in a secluded area in south Wales, an inquest has heard.

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Hems, inseams, darts and vents are all details hidden beneath the surface of a garment, but much like the body’s skeletal system, they make up the essential, inconspicuous infrastructure on which a suit hangs.

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Slash, or, rather, a skeletal facsimile of him played by an actor, will be available for photo opportunities and meet and greets at Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights, which runs most evenings through Nov. 2.

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Related Words

• bony 
• emaciated