skeleton
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skel·e·ton
(skĕl′ĭ-tn)n.
1.
a. The internal structure that protects and supports the soft organs, tissues, and other parts of a vertebrate organism, and is composed of bone and cartilage or, in certain animals, cartilage alone.
b. The hard external structure that supports, protects, or contains the body of many invertebrates, such as mollusks, crustaceans, and corals, and certain vertebrates, such as turtles.
2. A supporting structure or framework, as of a building.
3. An outline or sketch.
4. Something reduced to its basic or minimal parts.
5. One that is very thin or emaciated.
6.
a. A sport in which a person glides down an icy track head-first lying on one's stomach on a compact, simple sled that lacks steering or brakes.
b. The sled used in such a sport.
adj.
Idiom: 1. Of, relating to, or resembling a skeleton.
2. Reduced to the basic or minimal parts or members: a skeleton crew.
3. Of or relating to the sport of skeleton.
skeleton in (one's) closet
A source of shame or disgrace, as in a family, that is kept secret.
[Greek skeleton (sōma), dried-up (body), neuter of skeletos, from skellesthai, to dry up.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
skeleton
(ˈskɛlɪtən)n
1. (Zoology) 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) US and Canadian reduced to a minimum: a skeleton staff.
6. skeleton in the cupboard US and Canadian skeleton in the closet a scandalous fact or event in the past that is kept secret
[C16: via New Latin from Greek: something desiccated, from skellein to dry up]
ˈskeletal adj
ˈskeletally adv
ˈskeleton-ˌlike adj
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
skel•e•ton
(ˈskɛl ɪ tn)n.
1. the bones of a vertebrate considered as a whole, together forming the internal framework of the body.
2. any of various structures forming a rigid framework in certain invertebrates.
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.
adj. 7. of or pertaining to a skeleton.
8. reduced to the essential or minimal parts or numbers: a skeleton staff.
Idioms: skeleton in the closet or cupboard, any embarrassing, shameful, or damaging secret.
[1570–80; < New Latin < Greek: dried corpse, skeleton, n. use of neuter of skeletós dried up, v. adj. of skéllein to dry]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
skel·e·ton
(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. See also endoskeleton, exoskeleton.
skeletal adjective
The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
skeleton
The bony framework that protects and supports the body’s soft tissues.
Dictionary of Unfamiliar Words by Diagram Group Copyright © 2008 by Diagram Visual Information Limited
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. |  skeleton - something reduced to its minimal form; "the battalion was a mere skeleton of its former self"; "the bare skeleton of a novel"lower limit, minimum - the smallest possible quantity |
| 2. | skeleton - a scandal that is kept secret; "there must be a skeleton somewhere in that family's closet" | |
| 3. |  skeleton - the hard structure (bones and cartilages) that provides a frame for the body of an animalsystem - a group of physiologically or anatomically related organs or parts; "the body has a system of organs for digestion" musculoskeletal system - the system of muscles and tendons and ligaments and bones and joints and associated tissues that move the body and maintain its form skeletal structure - any structure created by the skeleton of an organism endoskeleton - the internal skeleton; bony and cartilaginous structure (especially of vertebrates) exoskeleton - the exterior protective or supporting structure or shell of many animals (especially invertebrates) including bony or horny parts such as nails or scales or hoofs | |
| 4. |  skeleton - the internal supporting structure that gives an artifact its shape; "the building has a steel skeleton"aircraft - a vehicle that can fly building, edifice - a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place; "there was a three-story building on the corner"; "it was an imposing edifice" chassis - the skeleton of a motor vehicle consisting of a steel frame supported on springs that holds the body and motor hoop - a light curved skeleton to spread out a skirt ship - a vessel that carries passengers or freight supporting structure - a structure that serves to support something |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
skeleton
noun
1. bones, bare bones a human skeleton
adjective
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
skeleton
nounThe American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
هَيْكَل البِناءهَيْكَل الجِسِمهَيْكَلٌ عَظْمِيّ
esquelet
kostra
skelet
skeleto
karkass
luurankorunko
kosturskelet
csontváz
rangka
beinagrindgrind
骨格骸骨
해골
griaučiaiskeletas
skeletsuzmetumskarkassshēma
schelet
kostra
skeletokostje
kosturokostje
skelett
kiunzi cha mifupa
โครงกระดูก
скелет
bộ xương
skeleton
[ˈskelɪtn]Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
skeleton
[ˈskɛlɪtən] n (ANATOMY) → squelette m
a human skeleton → un squelette humain
to have a skeleton in the cupboard (British) to have a skeleton in the closet → avoir un squelette dans le placard
a human skeleton → un squelette humain
to have a skeleton in the cupboard (British) to have a skeleton in the closet → avoir un squelette dans le placard
[building] → structure f
(= basic outline) [plot, article] → schéma mskeleton draft n → canevas mskeleton key n → passe-partout m invskeleton staff n → permanence f, permanents mpl
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
skeleton
n (lit, fig) → Skelett nt; (esp of ship) → Gerippe nt; a skeleton in one’s cupboard (Brit) or closet (US) → ein dunkler Punkt (seiner Vergangenheit); (of public figure) → eine Leiche im Keller
adj plan, outline etc → provisorisch
skeleton
:skeleton crew
n → Not- or Minimalbesatzung f
skeleton key
n → Dietrich m
skeleton service
n → Notdienst m
skeleton staff
n → Notbesetzung f
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
skeleton
[ˈskɛlɪtn]1. n (of person) → scheletro; (of building) → struttura, ossatura; (of novel, report) → schema m
a walking skeleton (fig) → uno scheletro ambulante
the skeleton at the feast (fig) → il/la guastafeste
skeleton in the cupboard or closet (fig) → scheletro nell'armadio
a walking skeleton (fig) → uno scheletro ambulante
the skeleton at the feast (fig) → il/la guastafeste
skeleton in the cupboard or closet (fig) → scheletro nell'armadio
2. adj (staff, service) → ridotto/a
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
skeleton
(ˈskelitn) noun1. the bony framework of an animal or person. The archaeologists dug up the skeleton of a dinosaur.
2. any framework or outline. the steel skeleton of a building.
skeleton key a key which can open many different locks.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
skeleton
→ هَيْكَلٌ عَظْمِيّ kostra skelet Skelett σκελετός esqueleto luuranko squelette kostur scheletro 骨格 해골 skelet skjelett szkielet esqueleto скелет skelett โครงกระดูก iskelet bộ xương 骷髅Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
skel·e·ton
n. esqueleto, armazón ósea del cuerpo.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012
skeleton
n esqueletoEnglish-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.