skeleton

Etymology 1

From New Latin sceleton, from Ancient Greek σκελετός (skeletós, “dried up, withered, dried body, parched, mummy”), from σκέλλω (skéllō, “dry, dry up, make dry, parch”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kelh₁- (“to parch, wither”); compare Ancient Greek σκληρός (sklērós, “hard”).

noun

1. (anatomy) The system that provides support to an organism, internal and made up of bones and cartilage in vertebrates, external in some other animals.
2. An anthropomorphic representation of a skeleton.
   She dressed up as a skeleton for Halloween.
3. (figurative) A very thin person.
   She lost so much weight while she was ill that she became a skeleton.
4. (figurative) The central core of something that gives shape to the entire structure.
   The skeleton of the organisation is essentially the same as it was ten years ago, but many new faces have come and gone.
5. (architecture) A frame that provides support to a building or other construction.
6. (computing, middleware) A client-helper procedure that communicates with a stub.
   Coordinate term: stub
   In remote method invocation, the client helper is a ‘stub’ and the service helper is a ‘skeleton’.
7. (geometry) The vertices and edges of a polyhedron, taken collectively.
8. (printing) A very thin form of light-faced type.
9. (especially attributive) Reduced to a minimum or bare essentials.
   At the time of writing the halts have been reprieved due to doubts as to the legality of the withdrawal of services. It is feared that this reprieve may not outlast the summer timetable which, on the section in question, provides only a skeleton of the former service. 1960 August, L. Hyland, “The Irish Scene”, in Trains Illustrated, page 468
   The rail industry has survived the first fortnight of the UK's COVID-19 crisis. Quick intervention from the Department of Transport has ensured that franchise operators will remain solvent during this period; rapid work to replan the timetable has delivered a minimum viable service plan; and the Kitchener-esque appeal for retired signal workers should ensure that the network can continue to operate a skeleton service. April 8 2020, Matt Lovering, “An opportunity for the rail industry to deliver major change”, in Rail, page 46
10. (botany) The network of veins in a leaf.
    However interesting the skeleton of a leaf that has been bleached by nature may be, it cannot be alleged to be beautiful in colour, and therefore it is not of much value for the purposes of household decoration. 1870, Robert Kemp Philp, Best of everything, by the author of 'Enquire within'., page 336
    Rather than abstracting the leaf from the outline of the leaf, I can begin by working from the skeleton of the leaf. 2010, Ruth B. McDowell, Piecing: Expanding The Basics
    This is going to get rid of all the green leafy debris sticking to the skeleton of the leaf and you are going to find a really attractive fiber network of your leaf. 2016, Dueep Jyot Singh, John Davidson, Mendon Cottage Books, Skeleton Leaves - Preserving Leaves for Everlasting Beauty, page 10

verb

1. (archaic) To reduce to a skeleton; to skin; to skeletonize.
2. (archaic) To minimize.

Etymology 2

The etymology of the term is disputed between two versions. * From the sled used, which originally was a bare frame, like a skeleton. * From Norwegian kjaelke (a type of ice sled) through a bad anglicization as "skele".

noun

1. (sports, uncountable) A type of tobogganing in which competitors lie face down, and descend head first.
   Lugers, who slide feet first and reach the highest speeds, experience some of the same forces, but seem to suffer far fewer concussion-like symptoms than bobsled and skeleton athletes do, probably because a support strap often prevents their heads from banging into the ice. 2020-07-26, Matthew Futterman, “Sledhead”, in New York Times