Synonyms

skeletal

American

[skel-i-tl] / ˈskɛl ɪ tl /

adjective

of, relating to, or like a skeleton.

Other Word Forms

nonskeletal adjective
nonskeletally adverb
pseudoskeletal adjective
skeletally adverb

Etymology

Origin of skeletal

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

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The key lies in a skeletal feature previously seen only in bipedal members of the human lineage.

From Science Daily

The added skeletal muscle mass not only helps with posture, but with metabolism, bone density and regulating hormones, he says.

From Los Angeles Times

“Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere” captures the making of the singer’s skeletal acoustic album “Nebraska” and his battles with depression.

From The Wall Street Journal

As floodwaters surged downstream, they gathered animal carcasses from the surface, along with living creatures and skeletal remains caught in their path.

From Science Daily

Instead of focusing on surrounding minerals or skeletal remains, Dr. Tucker and his colleagues turned their attention to fossilized dinosaur eggshells.

From Science Daily

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023