wishbone

noun

wish·​bone ˈwish-ˌbōn How to pronounce wishbone (audio)
1
: a forked bone in front of the breastbone in a bird consisting chiefly of the two clavicles fused at their median or lower end
2
: a variation of the T formation in which the halfbacks line up farther from the line of scrimmage than the fullback does

Illustration of wishbone

Illustration of wishbone
  • W wishbone 1

Examples of wishbone 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.
The new hardware includes new wishbones, uprights, wheel hubs, and bearings. — Basem Wasef, Robb Report, 17 June 2026 Since wishbone flowers like regular moisture, humidity and shade will keep them from drying out. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 22 May 2026 Desert wishbone-bush (Mirabilis laevis) is a wonderful drought-tolerant ground cover growing one foot high with a spread of eight feet. — Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 14 May 2026 Cast in sterling silver, each piece is modeled on the bone of the area of the body where it will be worn — with a statement choker in the form of a wishbone, earrings modeled on ear bones found in avians and rings shaped after the bones of the feet. — Alex Wynne, Footwear News, 26 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for wishbone

Word History

Etymology

from the superstition that when two persons pull it apart the one getting the longer fragment will have a wish granted

First Known Use

1847, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of wishbone was in 1847

Rhymes for wishbone

See All Rhymes for wishbone

Browse Nearby Words

wish away
wishbone
wishbone bush
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wishbone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wishbone. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

wishbone

noun
wish·​bone ˈwish-ˌbōn How to pronounce wishbone (audio)
: a bone in front of a bird's breastbone that is shaped like a V and consists chiefly of two fused clavicles

More from Merriam-Webster on wishbone

Nglish: Translation of wishbone for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about wishbone

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of gambol

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All