skeletal

[ skel-i-tl ]

/ ˈskɛl ɪ tl /

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See synonyms for skeletal on Thesaurus.com

Definition of skeletal

adjective

of, relating to, or like a skeleton.

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Origin of skeletal

First recorded in 1850–55; skelet(on) + -al¹

OTHER WORDS FROM skeletal

skel·e·tal·ly, adverbnon·skel·e·tal, adjectivenon·skel·e·tal·ly, adverbpseu·do·skel·e·tal, adjective

Words nearby skeletal

skeezy, skeg, skeif, skeigh, skein, skeletal, skeletal system, skeleton, skeleton car, skeleton in the closet, skeletonize

How to use skeletal in a sentence

For the past several months, coaches at EXOS training camp in Phoenix have used skeletal tracking software by Intel in a move that gives coaches and players ways to judge an athlete’s performance other than with their naked eyes.
NFL hopefuls use AI for a leg up ahead of predraft season|Dalvin Brown|March 5, 2021|Washington Post
The material, massaged into a skeletal narrative by Michael Breslin and Patrick Foley, was handed over to a capable team including director Lucy Moss, orchestrator Macy Schmidt, music supervisor Daniel Mertzlufft and choreographer Ellenore Scott.
Judy and Mickey would have loved the TikTok ‘Ratatouille’ — 2021’s answer to ‘Let’s put on a show!’|Peter Marks|January 2, 2021|Washington Post
Neandertals must have inherited those skeletal features rather than developing them as their bodies grew, says a team led by paleobiologist Daniel García-Martínez of the National Research Center on Human Evolution in Burgos, Spain.
Neandertal babies had stocky chests like their parents|Bruce Bower|October 7, 2020|Science News
Exercise also affects blood vessels and blood flow, bone and skeletal structure, which combined are bound to impact mental processes.
Couch Potato No More: How the Benefits of Exercise Transfer to the Brain|Shelly Fan|July 14, 2020|Singularity Hub

A lot of Joyner’s research is about how physical activity increases blood flow to skeletal muscles.
The Zero-Minute Workout (Ep. 383 Rebroadcast)|Stephen J. Dubner|January 2, 2020|Freakonomics
Once emblematic of American military muscle, the outposts are now skeletal shells.
Heart of Darkness: Into Afghanistan’s Taliban Valley|Matt Trevithick, Daniel Seckman|November 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
What stories the skeletal remains of our century will tell remains to be seen.
War! What Is It Good For? A Lot|Nick Romeo|August 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
This is contrasted with the human skeletal system, which is classified as an endoskeleton.
The Bionic Exoskeleton Helping Paraplegics Walk|Dr. Anand Veeravagu, MD|June 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Rocket has a “cybernetic skeletal structure, enhanced phalange and metacarpal bones, and a genetically augmented cerebral cortex.”
11 Things to Know About Bradley Cooper’s Rocket Raccoon in Guardians of the Galaxy|Marina Watts|February 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The Instamatic flashes etched cruel skeletal shadows on his sagging face.
The Strange and Mysterious Death of Mrs. Jerry Lee Lewis|Richard Ben Cramer|January 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Their limbs were truly skeletal, and curiously I tugged the white robe from the strange insect body as I followed the prince.
Valley of the Croen|Lee Tarbell
Such are the appearances presented under the microscope by skeletal or striped muscles such as those of the larynx.
Voice Production in Singing and Speaking|Wesley Mills
The muscular mechanisms used by the singer and speaker are of the skeletal variety.
Voice Production in Singing and Speaking|Wesley Mills
A flat blade of metal transversed it, one side twisting into the ground where skeletal girders shown beneath ripped plating.
The Jewels of Aptor|Samuel R. Delany
Iimmi started out first on the skeletal, twisted structure that descended to the glowing pit.
The Jewels of Aptor|Samuel R. Delany