- the V-shaped bone above the breastbone in most birds consisting of the fused clavicles; furcula
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2024
wish•bone /ˈwɪʃboʊn/USA pronunciation
n. [countable]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2024- Birdsa forked or V-shaped bone found in front of the breastbone in most birds.
wish•bone
(wish′bōn′),USA pronunciation n.
- Birdsa forked bone, formed by the fusion of the two clavicles, in front of the breastbone in most birds;
furcula. - Sport[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.
- 1850–55, American; 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
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
wishbone /ˈwɪʃˌbəʊn/ n
'wishbone' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):