skeleton

/skˈɛlətən/ · 3 syllables

Meaning

noun

1. something reduced to its minimal form
   “the battalion was a mere skeleton of its former self”
2. a scandal that is kept secret
   “there must be a skeleton somewhere in that family's closet”
3. the hard structure (bones and cartilages) that provides a frame for the body of an animal
4. the internal supporting structure that gives an artifact its shape
   “the building has a steel skeleton”

Synonyms for skeleton

• skeleton in the closet
• skeleton in the cupboard
• skeletal system
• frame
• systema skeletale
• skeletal frame
• underframe

Words that rhyme with skeleton

• gelatin
• exoskeleton