skeletal

adjective

skel·​e·​tal ˈske-lə-tᵊl 

: of, relating to, forming, attached to, or resembling a skeleton

skeletally

ˈske-lə-tᵊl-ē 

adverb

Synonyms of skeletal

• gaunt
• haggard

Examples of skeletal in a Sentence

The archaeologist found skeletal remains.

She was skeletal after her illness.

Recent Examples on the Web

Falling scaffolding at 14th and Peachtree A skeletal, half-finished building in Midtown that has sat neglected for five years has gotten so bad, City Council members approved a measure to impose a blight tax on it earlier this year. — Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 15 July 2026

Since 2004, when exhumation and analysis of skeletal remains began for 49 Medici family tombs as part of the Medici Project, various studies have confirmed malaria as the cause of Francesco’s demise. — Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 15 July 2026

The other ring found with the same skeletal remains is a plain gold ring without any pattern. — Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026

Caterpillars feast on foliage, and can leave your garden full of holes and skeletal leaves. — Alora Bopray, USA Today, 7 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1854, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing skeletal

• skeletal muscle

Rhymes for skeletal

• cytoskeletal
• musculoskeletal

Kids Definition

skeletal

adjective

skel·​e·​tal ˈskel-ət-ᵊl 

: of, relating or attached to, forming, or resembling a skeleton

skeletal muscles

the skeletal system

Medical Definition

skeletal

adjective

skel·​e·​tal

ˈskel-ət-ᵊl, British sometimes ske-ˈlēt-ᵊl

: of, relating to, forming, attached to, or resembling a skeleton

skeletal structures

the skeletal system