To remove the bones from meat or fish, leaving only the flesh.
Formed from the prefix 'de-' (remove, reverse) and 'bone,' creating a straightforward compound meaning to take away bones. This modern English construction follows the productive pattern of 'de-' verbs like 'decode' or 'defrost'.
The 'de-' prefix is like a linguistic delete button—when you 'debone,' you're literally pressing delete on the bones, and it's the same prefix that powers 'defrost,' 'decode,' and 'devalue,' showing how one tiny morpheme can reverse almost anything.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.