appendicular skeleton
noun · n
Simple meaning
The part of the skeleton that includes the pectoral girdle and the pelvic girdle and the upper and lower limbs.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
uhpehndihkyuhlerskehluhtuhnIPA pronunciation (US)
əpɛndɪkjəlɚskɛlətən
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
The part of the skeleton that includes the pectoral girdle and the pelvic girdle and the upper and lower limbs
n
The appendicular skeleton is the portion of the vertebrate endoskeleton consisting of the bones, cartilages and ligaments that support the paired appendages (fins, flippers or limbs).
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: The part of the skeleton that includes the pectoral girdle and the pelvic girdle and the upper and lower limbs
Used this way, appendicular skeleton is a specialist word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It turns up most in technical or specialist writing contexts.
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Specialist/technical
- Intensity
- Not strongly marked
- How common
- Specialized
- Connotation
- Clinical and technical
- Usage feel
- Technical and specialized
Where it naturally appears
- Technical/specialist writing
Usage note
In general conversation this sense usually needs explaining — outside its field, people reach for a plainer word.
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
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