The framework of bones that supports and protects the body of a person or animal. It can also mean the basic structure of something, like the “skeleton” of a plan.
“Skeleton” comes from Late Latin “sceleton,” from Greek “skeletón (sōma),” meaning “dried-up (body).” The Greek word originally referred to a dried or mummified body, not just the bones. Over time, the meaning narrowed to the bony framework itself.
The word “skeleton” basically started as “dried body,” which is delightfully creepy. Only later did we zoom in on just the bones. When you talk about the “skeleton” of an essay or idea, you’re using a spooky metaphor: everything else is just flesh on those bones.
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