skeleton
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
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[edit] English
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[edit] Alternative forms
[edit] Etymology
From Ancient Greek σκελετός (skeletos, “dried up, withered, dried body, parched, mummy”), from σκελλώ (skellō, “dry, dry up, make dry, parch”).
[edit] Pronunciation
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audio (US) (file)
[edit] Noun
skeleton (plural skeletons)
- (anatomy) The system that provides support to an organism, internal and made up of bones and cartilage in vertebrates, external in some other animals.
- 1883, Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island,
- At the foot of a pretty big pine, and involved in a green creeper, which had even partly lifted some of the smaller bones, a human skeleton lay, with a few shreds of clothing, on the ground.
- 1883, Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island,
- A frame that provides support to a building or other construction.
- (figuratively) A very thin person.
- She lost so much weight while she was ill that she became a skeleton.
- (From the sled used, which originally was a bare frame, like a skeleton.) A type of tobogganing in which competitors lie face down, and descend head first (compare luge). See Wikipedia:Skeleton (sport)
- (geometry) The vertices and edges of a polyhedron, taken collectively.
- An anthropomorphic representation of a skeleton. See Wikipedia:Skeleton (undead)
- She dressed up as a skeleton for Halloween.
- (figuratively) The central core of something that gives shape to the entire structure.
- The skeleton of the organisation is essentially the same as it was ten years ago, but many new faces have come and gone.
[edit] Synonyms
- (anatomy): ottomy (obsolete)
- (type of tobogganing): skeleton tobogganing
- (central core giving shape to something): backbone
[edit] Translations
system that provides support to an organism
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frame that provides support to a building
very thin person
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[edit] Derived terms
[edit] Related terms
- endoskeleton
- exoskeleton
- hydrostatic skeleton
- skeleton crew
- skeleton in the closet, skeleton in the cupboard
- skeleton key
- skeleton staff
[edit] See also
[edit] Verb
skeleton (third-person singular simple present skeletons, present participle skeletoning, simple past and past participle skeletoned)
- (archaic) to reduce to a skeleton; to skin; to skeletonize
- (archaic) to minimize
[edit] Esperanto
[edit] Noun
skeleton
- accusative singular of skeleto
[edit] French
[edit] Noun
skeleton m. (usually uncountable)
- skeleton (winter sport)
