adjective
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resembling or consisting of bone or bones
-
having many bones
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having prominent bones
bony cheeks
-
thin or emaciated
a bony old woman
Other Word Forms
- boniness noun
Etymology
Origin of bony
First recorded in 1350–1400, bony is from the Middle English word boni. See bone, -y 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Otophysan fish improved this pathway by adding small bony "ossicles" that connect the air bladder, often mistakenly called the swim bladder, to the inner ear.
From Science Daily
She lifts Ahmed's shirt to reveal his wounds, his bony back a reminder of the hunger stalking the city.
From BBC
Measuring about five metres long and weighing two tonnes, the four-legged beasts had large heads, adorned with a distinctive bony frill and three horns.
From BBC
Her sparse, wiry-looking fur sticks out in all directions as if she'd stuck that bony middle finger in an electric socket.
From Salon
Yes, bony fish have bones, but they can be a pain to deal with.
From Salon
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
