The word "skeletal" is spelled with the letter combination 'sk', which represents the phoneme /sk/. The 'e' in 'skeletal' is silent and serves as a marker for the soft 'c' sound. The soft 'c' is represented by the letter combination 'et', which corresponds to the phoneme /s/. The second syllable of the word 'skeletal' is pronounced with a short 'a' sound, represented by the letter 'a'. Overall, the phonetic transcription of 'skeletal' is /ˈskɛl.ɪ.təl/.
Skeletal, in the context of human physiology or anatomy, refers to anything related to or concerning the skeletal system. The skeletal system is the framework of bones and cartilage that provides structure, support, and protection to the body. It comprises the bones, joints, ligaments, and tendons, forming the internal framework that allows movement, provides support to organs, and safeguards vital structures.
The term "skeletal" can also describe something that resembles or relates to the skeleton. For example, in the visual arts, a skeletal drawing may depict a simplified or basic representation of the bones of a figure. In a broader sense, it can be used metaphorically to indicate the bare or essential structure of something, stripped of unnecessary details.
In medical terms, "skeletal" is often used in the context of skeletal disorders or conditions that affect the bones, joints, or connective tissues. These may include diseases such as osteoporosis, arthritis, or skeletal dysplasia, which impact the structure or functioning of the skeletal system.
Overall, skeletally refers to anything pertaining to the skeleton, either in a literal anatomical sense or in a metaphorical sense that denotes the underlying structure or foundation of an object or system.
Relating to the skeleton.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "skeletal" derives from the Latin term "sceletus", which comes from the Greek word "skeletos", meaning "dried up" or "dried body". Both Latin and Greek words ultimately trace back to the Proto-Indo-European root "*skele-", which signifies "dried" or "withered". Hence, "skeletal" initially referred to something related to a dried or withered body, but over time, its meaning expanded to specifically refer to the bones or framework of an organism.