BONY (bonier, boniest)
Dictionary entry overview: What does bony mean?
• BONY (adjective)
The adjective BONY has 3 senses:
1. very thin especially from disease or hunger or cold
2. composed of or containing bone
3. having bones especially many or prominent bones
Familiarity information: BONY used as an adjective is uncommon.
Dictionary entry details
• BONY (adjective)
Meaning:
Very thin especially from disease or hunger or cold
Synonyms:
bony; cadaverous; emaciated; gaunt; skeletal; pinched; haggard; wasted
Context examples:
emaciated bony hands / a nightmare population of gaunt men and skeletal boys / eyes were haggard and cavernous / small pinched faces / kept life in his wasted frame only by grim concentration
Similar:
lean; thin (lacking excess flesh)
Meaning:
Composed of or containing bone
Classified under:
Relational adjectives (pertainyms)
Synonyms:
osseous; bony; osteal
Context example:
osseous tissue
Pertainym:
bone (the porous calcified substance from which bones are made)
Meaning:
Having bones especially many or prominent bones
Synonyms:
boney; bony
Context examples:
a bony shad fillet / her bony wrist / bony fish
Similar:
bone (consisting of or made up of bone)
boned (having bones as specified)
bonelike (resembling bone)
ridge-like (resembling a ridge of bone)
strong-boned (having strong bones)
Antonym:
boneless (being without a bone or bones)
