skeletal structure
3
4.6
- noun
- /ˈskɛlɪtəl ˈstrʌkʧər/
- Specialized
:
estructura esquelética
- Scientists study the skeletal structure of ancient animals to understand their evolution.
- human skeletal structure
Examples
-
It is a construction site, half-built, a huge skeletal structure with a lovely view on all sides: mountains, sky, pines.
Fiction book (1997) -
"It is usually the mirror image of the skeletal structure around your nostrils."
Academic text (2003) -
By comparing our own skeletal structure to the fossil remains of Lucy, we can begin the discussion of what makes human beings human.
Academic text (1992) -
We can be short or tall, broad or thin, but we share a common signature, a common sign inside our body in terms of our skeletal structure.
Academic text (1990) -
Chickens that run around have a more robust skeletal structure than their factory-farmed counterparts.
Blog text (12) -
Teachers should focus on the most favorable alignment of the skeletal structure for singing rather than rely on a list of rules and restrictions about how to sit or stand for rehearsal.
Academic text (2009) -
Most of the load is carried through the skeletal structure, but it is not clear how it is transferred through the soft tissue of the buttocks when someone sits.
Academic text (1994) -
Long-term spinal cord injury (SCI) profoundly alters skeletal structure and function.
Academic text (1997) -
The skeletal structure of the elephant is incredibly large and supports its massive weight.
-
The artist carefully depicted the human skeletal structure in her detailed drawings.
Synonyms
183
2.5
A strong structure that holds a building, vehicle, or piece of furniture
114
2.3
A frame of bones and cartilage that supports a body
29
3.5
A structure of parts that holds something up, like a stage
1
3.2
A group of bones and soft parts that support and protect the body
1
7.5
A strong frame used to hold and shape a sculpture while it is made
1
5.8
Inside support that gives a building or machine its shape and strength
Antonyms
How Sturdy
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is transparently compositional: 'skeletal' means relating to a skeleton and 'structure' means a framework, so together they denote the framework formed by bones or supporting elements. This is a literal, cross-linguistically common combination, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
Skeletal structure combines skeleton (the bones that make a body's frame) and structure (a frame or support). Imagine the bones as a simple frame that holds and supports the body, so the phrase means 'the bones or supporting parts that give shape and support'.