skeleton /ˈskel.ɪ.tən/ aep /-t̬ən/ noun [C]
B2 the frame of bones supporting a human or animal body:
» We found an old sheep skeleton up on the cliffs.» FIGURATIVE Her long illness reduced her to a skeleton (= made her very thin).See picture: 
Thesaurus+: ↑Bone structures
F0 the most basic form or structure of something:
» The skeleton of my book is written/My book is in skeleton form - now I just have to add the details.Thesaurus+: ↑Frames and structures• • •
Extra Examples:» The discovery of the dinosaur skeleton has cast light on why they became extinct.» They used carbon dating tests to authenticate the claim that the skeleton was 2 million years old.» We went to see the dinosaur skeletons in the Natural History Museum.» They found a human skeleton under the building's foundations.» He was so thin that you could see his skeleton through his skin.