Endoskeleton
/ˌɛn.doʊˈskɛl.ɪ.tən/noun
An internal skeleton or supporting framework within the body of an animal.
Did you know?Endoskeleton is a modern scientific formation built from Greek roots, and its first element, endo-, is the same ancient root behind words like endocrine and endoscopy—literally “within” as a power-word for what’s hidden.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
éndon
“within, inside”
Ancient Greek
Greek
skeletós
“dried-up, shriveled; later, a skeleton”
Modern Scientific Latin
Latin
endoskeleton
“an internal skeletal framework”
19th Century
English
endoskeleton
“a term for an internal skeleton in zoology and anatomy”
Modern English
English
endoskeleton
“an internal skeleton or supporting framework within the body of an animal”
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