wishbone

noun

wish·​bone ˈwish-ˌbōn 

1

: a forked bone in front of the breastbone in a bird consisting chiefly of the two clavicles fused at their median or lower end

2

: a variation of the T formation in which the halfbacks line up farther from the line of scrimmage than the fullback does

Illustration of wishbone

• W wishbone 1

Examples of wishbone in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Eventually, the tradition of breaking a wishbone found its way to the New World, becoming associated not just with chickens but with turkeys as well. —John Tufts, The Courier-Journal, 26 Nov. 2024

To make carving even easier, remove the wishbone, stuffing or trussing. —Jennifer Borresen, USA TODAY, 26 Nov. 2024

The tradition of breaking the wishbone goes back thousands of years, long before the first Thanksgiving. —John Tufts, The Courier-Journal, 26 Nov. 2024

For those of us that don't like being too relaxed to focus, and appreciate the inability to lean back comfortably to keep our posture in check, a wishbone design is an obvious choice. —Blake Bakkila, Architectural Digest, 9 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

from the superstition that when two persons pull it apart the one getting the longer fragment will have a wish granted

First Known Use

1847, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

wishbone

noun

wish·​bone ˈwish-ˌbōn 

: a bone in front of a bird's breastbone that is shaped like a V and consists chiefly of two fused clavicles