wishbone

noun

wish·​bone ˈwish-ˌbōn 

1

: a forked bone in front of the breastbone in a bird consisting chiefly of the two clavicles fused at their median or lower end

2

: a variation of the T formation in which the halfbacks line up farther from the line of scrimmage than the fullback does

Illustration of wishbone

• W wishbone 1

Examples of wishbone in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Hundreds of years later, writes Panati, the Romans adopted similar traditions from the Etruscans, who by then had begun snapping the wishbone, which some experts say may have started to preserve the finite resource of birds. —Katie Wiseman, IndyStar, 25 Nov. 2025

Checking to see what Arizona residents Wanda Dench and Jamal Hinton are doing this year for Thanksgiving is as much a holiday tradition for many Americans as breaking a wishbone. —Jose R. Gonzalez, AZCentral.com, 24 Nov. 2025

Our Pioneer 1000-5 Trail Edition side-by-side came fully equipped with four-wheel disc brakes, fully independent double-wishbone suspension, electric power steering and quick flip seating, with two seats in the cargo bed that fold flat when not in use. —Marc D. Grasso, Boston Herald, 23 Oct. 2025

The chassis is built with a front double-wishbone and rear five-link suspension setup, delivering stability and control across various driving conditions. —Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 23 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

from the superstition that when two persons pull it apart the one getting the longer fragment will have a wish granted

First Known Use

1847, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for wishbone

• alone
• atone
• backbone
• bemoan
• bluestone
• breastbone
• brownstone
• capstone
• cheekbone
• condone
• curbstone
• cyclone

Kids Definition

wishbone

noun

wish·​bone ˈwish-ˌbōn 

: a bone in front of a bird's breastbone that is shaped like a V and consists chiefly of two fused clavicles