1. The skeletal structure or framework of a body or organism; the arrangement and composition of bones.
Usage: Formal or technical usage; Often used in anatomy, paleontology, or art contexts
2. The basic structural framework or underlying form of something abstract, such as a literary work, organization, or system.
Usage: Figurative or metaphorical usage

Examples

• The paleontologist examined the ossature of the ancient dinosaur fossil.
• The human ossature consists of 206 bones in adults.
• The novel's ossature was built on a three-act narrative structure.
• The building's ossature was reinforced with steel beams.
• Understanding the ossature of the organization helped the new manager navigate its hierarchy.