skeleton

Where it comes from

Skeleton ordinarily means the framework of bones supporting a body, or the bare framework of something. Skeleton entered English through anatomical New Latin from Greek skeleton soma, a dried-up body. Greek skeletos meant dried up and came from skellein, to dry or parch. A dried or desiccated body exposed its bones, so the adjective became a noun for the bony framework.

How the meaning developed

The bare framework then supplied figurative senses such as a skeleton plan, key, staff, or crew.