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.

---

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

---

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

---

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

Explanation

One thing every person (and most animals) in the world has in common is a skeleton: we all have a connected group of bones that help shape and support our bodies. You probably see a lot of skeletons at Halloween, because they look a little spooky. They shouldn't scare you too much, because we all have skeletons under our skin and muscles. Skeletons give our body shape, and parts of the skeleton (like the skull) protect important organs (like the brain). Sometimes, the word skeleton is used to mean the "bare bones" of other things: the skeleton of a financial plan is a basic outline of that plan. If you said someone has a "skeleton in their closet," it means they're hiding something embarrassing or incriminating.

Example Sentences

Underneath the rot is an architecturally impressive skeleton, so people are free to focus on that.

From Salon • May 14, 2026

The MV Hondius left the island of Tenerife with a skeleton crew on Monday and will be disinfected upon arrival in the Netherlands on Sunday.

From Barron's • May 12, 2026

The carwash reopened a day later with a skeleton crew of four.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026

A painstaking three days were spent examining the skeleton in situ before he was removed, with all but a small toe bone recovered.

From BBC • Apr. 27, 2026

An image of my skeleton being discovered come spring spurred me into action.

From "Hattie Big Sky" by Kirby Larson

Related Words

• frame
• scaffolding