noun
Common
bones
bohnz
Bones (noun) means plural of bone; the skeletal parts of a body. Example: “Archaeologists uncovered ancient bones at the site.”
noun
1
Plural of bone; the skeletal parts of a body.
"Archaeologists uncovered ancient bones at the site."
"The dog buried its bones at the bottom of the garden."
"Calcium helps keep your bones strong as you get older."
2
Dice, especially in casual or slang use.
"Roll the bones and see what you get."
"The gambler blew on the bones for luck before throwing them across the table."
"Grandad kept a battered old set of bones in his coat pocket."
3
The basic underlying framework or structure of something.
"The old house has good bones despite needing renovation."
"The story is a bit thin, but the bones of a good film are there."
"Before adding any detail, we sketched out the bones of the plan on a whiteboard."
How to use bones
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishMore than one bone, or informally, the essential structure of something.
Common pairings
good bones
roll the bones
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Archaeologists uncovered ancient _____ at the site.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for bones
See all rhymes for bones →Frequently asked questions
What does “bones” mean?
The word “bones” means plural of bone; the skeletal parts of a body. In plain terms, more than one bone, or informally, the essential structure of something.
How do you pronounce “bones”?
“Bones” is pronounced bohnz (/boʊnz/ in IPA).
How do you use “bones” in a sentence?
Here is “bones” used in a sentence: “Archaeologists uncovered ancient bones at the site.”
What part of speech is “bones”?
“Bones” is a noun.
Is “bones” a common word?
“Bones” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “bones” have?
“Bones” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: plural of bone; the skeletal parts of a body.
What is the difference between "bones" and "skeleton"?
"Bones" refers to the individual hard parts themselves, which can be counted or separated, while a "skeleton" is the entire connected framework they form. You might find "a pile of bones," but "a skeleton" implies the whole structure assembled together.
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