1. reduces something to its basic framework or essential structure by removing flesh, details, or non-essential parts
Usage: British spelling; third person singular present tense

Examples

• The acid skeletonises the leaf, leaving only the veins visible.
• Time skeletonises old buildings, exposing their basic framework.
• The budget proposal skeletonises the original plan to its core elements.
• Disease skeletonises the coral reef, leaving behind white calcium structures.
• The editor skeletonises the manuscript, removing all unnecessary details.