1. plural of ossature; the bony framework or skeletal structure of an organism
Usage: formal or technical; chiefly used in anatomy and zoology
2. the structural framework or basic form of something (figurative use)
Usage: literary or formal

Examples

• The museum displayed the ossatures of various prehistoric mammals.
• Comparative anatomists studied the ossatures of different primate species.
• The architect described the building's ossatures as a blend of classical and modern design.
• Fish ossatures differ significantly from those of terrestrial vertebrates.
• The paleontologist carefully excavated the fragile ossatures from the rock formation.