bony

B3O1N1Y4
UK/ˈbəʊni/US/ˈboʊni/

adjective

Resembling, having the appearance or consistence of, or relating to bone; osseous.

“That bony fellow could use a few hot dinners.”

Similar
scraggyscragglyboneyscrawnyskinnyunderweightweedythin
Opposite
boneless
OriginMiddle English bony →
Less commonScrabble 9
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Meanings

bony1

adjectivebony (comparative bonier, superlative boniest)

comparative bonier · superlative boniest · alternative boney

  1. Resembling, having the appearance or consistence of, or relating to bone; osseous.
  2. Full of bones.
  3. With little flesh; skinny, thin.

    That bony fellow could use a few hot dinners.

  4. Having prominent bones.

BONY2

proper noun
  1. abbreviationinitialismInitialism of Bank of New York.

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectivebeing very thin

Similar
scraggyscragglyboneyscrawnyskinnyunderweightweedythinlean

adjectivecomposed of or containing bone

Similar
osseousosteal

adjectivehaving bones especially many or prominent bones

Similar
boneybonebonedbonelikestrong-boned
Opposite
boneless
Also see
bonebonedbonelikeboneyosseousostealscragglyscraggyscrawnyskinnyunderweightweedy

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Middle Englishbony
  2. Englishbony

From Middle English bony, equivalent to bone + -y.

More words from Middle English

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian костен, кокалест
  • костен (kosten)resembling, having the appearance or consistence of, or relating to bone
  • кокалест (kokalest)with little flesh; skinny, thin
  • кокалест (kokalest)having prominent bones
Catalan ossi
  • ossiresembling, having the appearance or consistence of, or relating to bone
Czech kostní, kostěný
  • kostníresembling, having the appearance or consistence of, or relating to bone
  • kostěnýresembling, having the appearance or consistence of, or relating to bone
  • plný kostífull of bones
  • kostnatýfull of bones
  • kostnatýwith little flesh; skinny, thin
  • vyzáblýwith little flesh; skinny, thin
  • kost a kůžewith little flesh; skinny, thin
  • kostnatýhaving prominent bones
Dutch benig, benig
  • benigresembling, having the appearance or consistence of, or relating to bone
  • benigfull of bones
  • benigwith little flesh; skinny, thin
  • magerwith little flesh; skinny, thin
Finnish luumainen, luinen
  • luumainenresembling, having the appearance or consistence of, or relating to bone
  • luinenresembling, having the appearance or consistence of, or relating to bone
  • luinenfull of bones
  • ruotoinenfull of bones
  • luisevafull of bones
  • luisevawith little flesh; skinny, thin
  • luisevahaving prominent bones
French osseux
  • osseuxresembling, having the appearance or consistence of, or relating to bone
German knöchern, grätig
  • knöchernresembling, having the appearance or consistence of, or relating to bone
  • grätigfull of bones
  • knochigwith little flesh; skinny, thin
  • knochighaving prominent bones
Greek οστεώδης
  • οστεώδης (osteódis)with little flesh; skinny, thin
Hungarian csontos
  • csontosfull of bones
Indonesian bertulang, kurus
  • bertulangresembling, having the appearance or consistence of, or relating to bone
  • kuruswith little flesh; skinny, thin
Italian ossuto, stecchino
  • ossutowith little flesh; skinny, thin
  • stecchinowith little flesh; skinny, thin
Latin osseus
  • osseusresembling, having the appearance or consistence of, or relating to bone
Māori (w)hīroki
  • (w)hīrokiwith little flesh; skinny, thin
Portuguese ósseo, ossudo
  • ósseoresembling, having the appearance or consistence of, or relating to bone
  • ossudofull of bones
  • ossudohaving prominent bones
Romanian osos, osos
  • ososresembling, having the appearance or consistence of, or relating to bone
  • ososwith little flesh; skinny, thin
Russian кости́стый, ко́стный
  • кости́стый (kostístyj)resembling, having the appearance or consistence of, or relating to bone
  • ко́стный (kóstnyj)resembling, having the appearance or consistence of, or relating to bone
  • кости́стый (kostístyj)full of bones
  • костля́вый (kostljávyj)with little flesh; skinny, thin
  • костля́вый (kostljávyj)having prominent bones
Spanish huesudo, huesudo
  • huesudoresembling, having the appearance or consistence of, or relating to bone
  • huesudowith little flesh; skinny, thin
  • huesudohaving prominent bones
Welsh esgyrnog
  • esgyrnogresembling, having the appearance or consistence of, or relating to bone

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with bony

sonytonyTonibolognastonytyronenoniJoniphonyabaloneoniBerlusconijoaniezambonibaloneycronyyonipalloneminestronecalzonemascarponeMaroneyamaronecony
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

bony. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bony

MLA

“bony.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bony. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “bony,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bony.

Source: bony on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.