osteology

1 of 2

noun

os·​te·​ol·​o·​gy ˌä-stē-ˈä-lə-jē How to pronounce osteology (audio)
1
: a branch of anatomy dealing with the bones
2
: the bony structure of an organism
osteological
ˌä-stē-ə-ˈlä-ji-kəl How to pronounce osteology (audio)
adjective
osteologist
ˌä-stē-ˈä-lə-jist How to pronounce osteology (audio)
noun

osteologic

2 of 2

adjective

os·​te·​o·​log·​ic
¦ästēə¦läjik
variants or osteological
-jə̇kəl How to pronounce osteologic (audio)
: of or relating to osteology
osteologically
-jə̇k(ə)lē
adverb

Examples of osteology in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
So far, all three bodies were found in adult-sized coffins and sent to an on-site osteology lab. — Julia Gomez, USA TODAY, 5 Aug. 2024 Another chance encounter sparks his affair with Jess, a specialist in vertebrate osteology at the Smithsonian’s Museum of Natural History. — Emily Bingham, The Courier-Journal, 17 Mar. 2023 Since then, 26 burials have been found and four sets of remains have been exhumed and taken to an on-site osteology lab, Tulsa officials said. — Raja Razek, CNN, 12 Nov. 2022 While Ferry is not the only bone seller in the market, his TikTok videos have sparked a conversation about his lack of education in osteology -- the study of bone anatomy -- as well as the ethics and legality of his company and the commercial bone industry, in general. — David Toledo, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2021 See All Example Sentences for osteology

Word History

Etymology

Noun

New Latin osteologia, from Greek, description of bones, from oste- + -logia -logy

Adjective

osteologic International Scientific Vocabulary osteology + -ic; osteological from osteology + -ical

First Known Use

Noun

1670, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of osteology was in 1670

Rhymes for osteology

See All Rhymes for osteology

Browse Nearby Words

osteologic
osteology
osteoma
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Osteology.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/osteology. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Medical Definition

osteology

noun
os·​te·​ol·​o·​gy ˌäs-tē-ˈäl-ə-jē How to pronounce osteology (audio)
plural osteologies
1
: a branch of anatomy dealing with the bones
2
: the bony structure of an organism
osteological
-tē-ə-ˈläj-i-kəl How to pronounce osteology (audio)
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on osteology

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about osteology

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