Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Relating to or forming a skeleton: Pertaining to the framework of bones that supports the body of a vertebrate animal.
   • Extremely thin; emaciated: Resembling a skeleton in being very thin, often due to illness, hunger, or other causes.

Usage

• Relating to a skeleton: Used to describe anatomical structures, systems, or features connected to the skeleton.
• Describing extreme thinness: Used to describe a person, animal, or part of the body that is so thin the underlying bone structure is prominent.

Examples

• Relating to a skeleton:
  • The museum displayed the skeletal remains of a dinosaur.
  • Skeletal muscles are attached to bones and facilitate movement.
• Describing extreme thinness:
  • After the long illness, his face was skeletal.
  • The stray dog was skeletal from lack of food.

Advanced Usage

• "Skeletal structure": The basic framework or essential form of something, not just anatomical.
  • Only the skeletal structure of the building remained after the fire.
• "Skeletal crew/staff": A minimal number of people needed to maintain basic operations.
  • During the holiday, the office runs with a skeletal staff.

Variants and Related Words

• Skeleton (n): The internal framework of bones in an organism; the basic structure or outline of something.
  • He studied the human skeleton in anatomy class.
• Skeletally (adv): In a manner relating to or resembling a skeleton.
  • The patient was skeletally thin.

Synonyms

• Bony: Having prominent bones; very thin.
• Emaciated: Abnormally thin or weak, especially because of illness or lack of food.
• Gaunt: Lean and haggard, especially from suffering, hunger, or age.
• Anatomical (for the "relating to" sense): Concerning bodily structure.

Antonyms

• Plump: Having a full, rounded shape.
• Corpulent: (Formal) Fat.
• Fleshy: Having much flesh; plump.

Related Phrases/Idioms

• Skeletal frame: Often used to emphasize extreme thinness.
  • Her skeletal frame was visible beneath the thin blanket.
• Skeletal outline: A very basic plan or draft without details.
  • He presented only a skeletal outline of the proposal.

Adjective

1. very thin especially from disease or hunger or cold
   • emaciated bony hands
   • a nightmare population of gaunt men and skeletal boys
   • eyes were haggard and cavernous
   • small pinched faces
   • kept life in his wasted frame only by grim concentration
2. of or relating to or forming or attached to a skeleton
   • the skeletal system
   • skeletal bones
   • skeletal muscles