Meaning & use
bony vs boney
Last updated
Meanings
phrasefixed phrase
a comparison of two spellings of the same adjective, where 'bony' is standard and 'boney' is a variant
Grammar: Used as a heading or question about spelling, not as a normal sentence element.
Patterns
- bony vs boney
- spell it bony or boney
The worksheet asked students to choose between 'bony' and 'boney'.
In 'bony vs boney', the correct modern spelling is 'bony'.
adjectivecomparable
thin in a way that shows the bones, or made of or like bone
Grammar: Gradable: bonier, boniest. Standard spelling is 'bony'.
Patterns
- a bony hand
- bony fish
- bony features
The old man held out a bony hand.
She has a bony face with high cheekbones.
Trout are bony fish, so be careful when you eat them.
Word forms
| comparative | bonier |
|---|---|
| superlative | boniest |
Common combinations
- a bony hand
- He reached out with a bony hand.
- bony fish
- Salmon and trout are bony fish.
- bony features
- The model had sharp, bony features.
- tall and bony
- The coach was tall and bony.
Synonyms and how they differ
- skinny
- This is informal and often negative about being too thin; 'bony' focuses on bones showing.
- gaunt
- This suggests thinness from illness or hunger and is more literary than 'bony'.
- skeletal
- This is stronger and means extremely thin, almost like a skeleton.
Opposites
Word family
- bone noun
- one of the hard parts inside the body
- boniness noun
- the quality of being bony
Commonly confused: bony vs boney or boney?
bony vs boney vs boney
This is a less standard spelling of 'bony'. It survives in some surnames and place names such as Boney before a name, but in everyday writing use 'bony'.
Practice
Which spelling is standard in modern English for the adjective meaning 'thin, with bones showing'?
Choose one answer.
'Bony' is the standard spelling. 'Boney' is a variant seen in names and older writing, while 'bonny' and 'bonnie' mean pretty or attractive, especially in Scottish and Irish English.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “bony vs boney”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.