wishbone

[ wish-bohn ]
/ ˈwɪʃˌboʊn /

noun

a forked bone, formed by the fusion of the two clavicles, in front of the breastbone in most birds; furcula.
Football. an offensive formation in which the fullback is positioned directly behind the quarterback and the two halfbacks are positioned farther behind and to the left and right, respectively.

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Origin of wishbone

1850–55, Americanism; wish + bone; so called from the custom of pulling the furcula of a cooked fowl apart until it breaks, the person holding the longer (sometimes shorter) piece being granted a wish

Words nearby wishbone

wish fulfillment, wish fulfilment, wish list, wish on, wish-wash, wishbone, wishbone boom, wishful, wishful thinking, wishing well, wisht
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for wishbone

British Dictionary definitions for wishbone

wishbone
/ (ˈwɪʃˌbəʊn) /

noun

the V-shaped bone above the breastbone in most birds consisting of the fused clavicles; furcula

Word Origin for wishbone

C17: from the custom of two people breaking apart the bone after eating: the person with the longer part makes a wish
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for wishbone

wishbone
[ wĭsh′bōn′ ]

The forked bone in front of the breastbone in most birds, consisting of the two collarbones partly fused together. It serves as a spring, capturing some of the energy during the downward stroke of the wings for release on the upward stroke.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.