skeletal

adjective

skel·​e·​tal ˈske-lə-tᵊl How to pronounce skeletal (audio)
: of, relating to, forming, attached to, or resembling a skeleton
skeletally adverb

Examples of skeletal in a Sentence

The archaeologist found skeletal remains. She was skeletal after her illness.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
For his role as Erik, the disfigured organist who haunts the catacombs of the Paris opera house, Chaney underwent a dramatic — and painful — transformation that involved pulling back his nostrils with piano wire to create a skeletal look. Katie Rife, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Oct. 2025 The indictment returned by the federal grand jury is skeletal in details, but more information is found in the federal civil rights lawsuit filed by Sodiq Folarin Amusat, the 29-year-old Black man Mangan is accused of assaulting, against Mangan and the city of Lawrence. Flint McColgan, Boston Herald, 29 Oct. 2025 Contestants transform into La Catrina, the skeletal figure that has become an enduring symbol of remembrance and Mexican identity. Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Oct. 2025 The Goldwell Open Air Museum, next to the skeletal buildings of Rhyolite Ghost Town, is a large-scale sculpture installation created by a group of Belgian artists that’s complete with ghostly figures wearing white cloaks. Graham Averill, Outside, 28 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for skeletal

Word History

First Known Use

1854, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of skeletal was in 1854

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Cite this Entry

“Skeletal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/skeletal. Accessed 1 Nov. 2025.

Kids Definition

skeletal

adjective
skel·​e·​tal ˈskel-ət-ᵊl How to pronounce skeletal (audio)
: 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

More from Merriam-Webster on skeletal

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