skeleton

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Contents 1 English 1.1 Etymology 1.2 Pronunciation 1.3 Noun 1.3.1 Synonyms 1.3.2 Translations 1.3.3 Derived terms 1.3.4 Related terms 1.4 See also 1.5 Verb 2 French 2.1 Noun

[edit] English

[edit] Etymology

From Ancient Greek σκελετός (skeletos) "dried up, withered, dried body, parched, mummy", from σκελλώ (skello) "to dry, dry up, make dry, parch".

[edit] Pronunciation

•  audio (US)^{help, file}

[edit] Noun

skeleton (plural skeletons)

Wikipedia

1. (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.

2. A frame that provides support to a building or other construction.
3. A very thin person.

   She lost so much weight while she was ill that she became a skeleton.

4. (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).
5. (geometry) The vertices and edges of a polyhedron, taken collectively.

Wikipedia

[edit] Synonyms

• (type of tobogganing): skeleton tobogganing

[edit] Translations

[edit] Derived terms

• skeletal
• skeletally

[edit] Related terms

• endoskeleton
• exoskeleton
• hydrostatic skeleton
• skeleton crew
• skeleton in the closet, skeleton in the cupboard
• skeleton key
• skeleton staff

[edit] See also

• bone
• luge

[edit] Verb

Archaic to skeleton

1. to reduce to a skeleton; to skin
2. to minimize

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[edit] French

[edit] Noun

skeleton m.

1. skeleton (tobogganing)