Ossatures

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A framework or skeleton providing structure and support in biological contexts
2. A system of bones or supporting elements in an organism's body
3. The architectural or structural framework that denotes the fundamental shape of something

Etymology: "Ossatures" is the plural of "ossature," which describes the framework of bones or supporting structure in a body. The singular "ossature" was borrowed from French, where it carries the same sense, and the French word is built from Latin "os," meaning "bone," with the suffix "-ature," used in French to form nouns that name a structure or collection of things. The pattern is a familiar one: French has many "-ature" nouns, and the suffix attaches to a root to name the overall arrangement it produces. Here, the root "os" supplies the idea of bone, and the suffix turns it into a term for the whole skeletal system rather than a single bone.