Wishbone

Pronunciation: /wɪʃboʊn/

Definitions of wishbone

noun a forked bone found in birds, formed by the fusion of the two clavicles, believed to bring good luck if broken in a wishbone tradition

Example Sentences

A1 I pulled the wishbone with my sister to see who would get the bigger half.

A2 The wishbone tradition is to make a wish before pulling it apart.

B1 After Thanksgiving dinner, we always save the wishbone to break later.

B2 The wishbone is believed to bring good luck to the person who gets the larger piece.

C1 The wishbone was a symbol of hope and luck in ancient Roman culture.

C2 Some cultures have elaborate rituals surrounding the breaking of the wishbone for good fortune.

Examples of wishbone in a Sentence

formal The wishbone is a forked bone found in birds that is believed to bring good luck when broken apart.

informal I always make a wish when I pull apart the wishbone from the turkey on Thanksgiving.

slang Let's break the wishbone and see who gets the bigger piece!

figurative Finding the wishbone in a situation can sometimes lead to unexpected luck or success.

Grammatical Forms of wishbone

• past tense: wished
• plural: wishbones
• comparative: more wishbone
• superlative: most wishbone
• present tense: wish
• future tense: will wish
• perfect tense: have wished
• continuous tense: wishing
• singular: wishbone
• positive degree: wishbone
• infinitive: to wish
• gerund: wishing
• participle: wishing

Origin and Evolution of wishbone

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Middle English

Story behind the word: The term 'wishbone' originated from the ancient tradition of breaking the furcula (the forked bone located between the neck and chest of a bird) to make a wish.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the term 'wishbone' has come to symbolize luck, wishes, and the act of making a wish by breaking the bone in a ritualistic manner.