human skeleton
Internal body scaffold
The human skeleton is the internal framework of bones that supports the body, protects vital organs, and enables movement.
Adults typically have 206 bones, though infants are born with roughly 270 that gradually fuse.
The skeleton serves as an anchor for muscles and produces blood cells in its marrow.
In figurative use, skeleton often suggests a bare structural outline: We've got the skeleton of a plan but need to flesh it out.
Head's bone casing
- femurUpper leg bone
- vertebraeInterlocking bones of spine
- pelvisBony basin at waist
- ribsThoracic bone set
sternum · clavicle · scapula · radius · ulna · tibia · fibula · patella
Disease weakening skeletal structure
- fractureSplit in hard material
- X-rayPenetrating diagnostic beam
- orthopedicsMedicine of bones, joints
- arthritisInflamed joint disease
scoliosis · rickets · osteomyelitis · calcium · marrow
Placing deceased underground
- excavationAct of unearthing
- tombUnderground chamber for remains
- graveSerious and worrying
- remainsContinues in place
ossuary · catacomb · ancestor · mummy · sarcophagus · interment · cremains · reliquary
State of eventual death
- deathCessation of life
- HalloweenOctober 31st festival
- calaveraDecorative skull for Mexican holiday
- skull-and-crossbonesDanger symbol, skeletal
vanitas · spooky · macabre · afterlife · impermanence
Underlying support system
- structureArrangement of interconnected parts
- blueprintDetailed technical drawing
- outlineSummary of key elements
- scaffoldTemporary elevated work structure
bare-bones · armature · foundation · underpinning · backbone · essence · core · shell
Extinct archaic human species
- LucyFeminine name meaning light
- hominidBipedal primate family
- paleoanthropologyScience of ancestral human remains
- AustralopithecusExtinct hominin genus
prehistoric · Pleistocene · caveman · Cro-Magnon · fossilized · ancient · ancestor · excavation
skull
Head's bone casing
ribs · sternum · clavicle · scapula · radius · ulna · tibia · fibula · patella · mandible
osteoporosis
Disease weakening skeletal structure
- fractureSplit in hard material
- X-rayPenetrating diagnostic beam
- orthopedicsMedicine of bones, joints
arthritis · scoliosis · rickets · osteomyelitis · calcium · marrow
burial
Placing deceased underground
- excavationAct of unearthing
- tombUnderground chamber for remains
- graveSerious and worrying
remains · ossuary · catacomb · ancestor · mummy · sarcophagus · interment · cremains · reliquary · charnel-house
mortality
State of eventual death
skull-and-crossbones · vanitas · spooky · macabre · afterlife · impermanence
framework
Underlying support system
- structureArrangement of interconnected parts
- blueprintDetailed technical drawing
- outlineSummary of key elements
scaffold · bare-bones · armature · foundation · underpinning · backbone · essence · core · shell · remnant
Neanderthal
Extinct archaic human species
- LucyFeminine name meaning light
- hominidBipedal primate family
- paleoanthropologyScience of ancestral human remains
Australopithecus · prehistoric · Pleistocene · caveman · Cro-Magnon · fossilized · ancient · ancestor · excavation · reconstruction
- Sideshowfreak show, sideshow, bearded lady, fat lady, tattooed lady
- bonesskull, femur, tibia, skulls, fibula
- diagramsflowchart, labeled diagram, Venn diagram, cross section, cross-section
human skeletonsoft tissue
Non-rigid body structures
flesh · muscle · musculature · organs · skin
human, skeleton, humans, humane, humanity, inhuman, skeletal, superhuman, skeletons