bone sliver

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "bone sliver" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts related to anatomy, medicine, or injuries, typically referring to a small fragment of bone that has broken off. Example: "After the accident, the doctor discovered a bone sliver lodged in the patient's arm that needed to be surgically removed."

✓ Grammatically correct

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

Shovel some of the fruit over meat pulled clean from the bone, add slivered almonds for crunch, and it's a perfect bite.

The New Yorker

Carrying bags filled with beer and sunscreen, these young and budget-conscious denizens of Brooklyn were heading to the Rockaways, the fish-bone-like sliver of Queens that was among the places hardest hit by Hurricane Sandy.

The New York Times

Deep bowls of fish soup, loaded with fins, spines and scimitar-like bones with slivers of white flesh laid along them, cost well under the equivalent of $6 for a big bowl.

The New York Times - Travel

For almost eight centuries, the tiny sliver of bone has been venerated by distant devotees of England's famous "turbulent priest".

The Guardian

She swerved sharply at the start of the Astarita Stakes a fortnight ago, struck the machine, and chipped a sliver of bone from her right knee.

The New Yorker

Walls are lined with files of each documented case; there are some 90,000 relatives' blood samples in all, ready to be matched with any sliver of bone found.

The New York Times

By checking cortical thickness and the shape, he said, holding up a sliver of bone, he could tell that the shard came from a leg, but not whether it was from the shin or the thigh, or the right or left.

The New York Times

To investigate that possibility, researchers at the University of California, Davis, began to analyze the skeleton's DNA from a sliver of bone provided by the corps in October.

Science Magazine

The research team, led by Axel Nimmerjahn at the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research in Heidelberg, Germany, created a window on the brain of 12 such mice by shaving away a small patch of skull until only a transparent sliver of bone remained.

Science Magazine

The fossils included the partial skeletons of Lucy from Hadar, Ethiopia Australopithecussedibaba from Malapa, South Africa; and the fingernail-size sliver of bone of a new type of archaic human from Denisova Cave in Siberia, Russia.

Science Magazine

Terris spotted a little sliver of bone sticking out from under a boulder and alerted Farke, who thought it looked like a piece of dinosaur rib — nice, but not really worth the trouble of excavating.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing injuries or forensic findings, use "bone sliver" to specifically denote a small, sharp fragment of bone, which can be crucial in medical or investigative contexts.

Common error

While "bone sliver" is a technically accurate term, avoid using it in overly casual contexts where simpler terms like "small bone piece" would suffice. Overuse can make your writing sound unnecessarily clinical or dramatic.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "bone sliver" functions primarily as a noun phrase. It identifies a specific type of broken bone piece, often in medical or forensic contexts. Ludwig AI confirms the phrase's usability in written English.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

Science

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News & Media

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Formal & Business

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Less common in

Science

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News & Media

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Formal & Business

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "bone sliver" is a noun phrase used to describe a small, sharp fragment of bone. While grammatically correct and usable, according to Ludwig AI, its frequency is low, and it appears predominantly in medical or forensic contexts. Alternatives include "bone fragment" and "bone chip". When using this term, be mindful of the context to avoid sounding overly clinical in casual situations. This comprehensive analysis offers valuable insights into the usage and appropriateness of "bone sliver" in various writing scenarios.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Bone fragment

Replaces 'sliver' with 'fragment', indicating a broken piece of bone.

Tiny bone fragment

Adds emphasis on the small size of the bone fragment.

Bone chip

Uses 'chip' instead of 'sliver', suggesting a small piece broken off.

Splinter of bone

Emphasizes the sharp, needle-like nature of the bone fragment.

Shard of bone

Implies a sharp, broken piece of bone, similar to glass.

Bone splinter

A reversal of the term 'splinter of bone', emphasizing the splinter-like characteristic.

Small piece of bone

A more general term for a broken or detached bone portion.

Bone flake

Suggests a thin, scaly piece of bone.

Bone shaving

Describes a thin strip of bone that has been shaved off.

Bone particle

Highlights the minute and particulate nature of the bone piece.

FAQs

How to use "bone sliver" in a sentence?

A "bone sliver" typically refers to a small fragment of bone that has broken off. For example: "The X-ray revealed a small bone sliver in her ankle".

What can I say instead of "bone sliver"?

You can use alternatives like "bone fragment", "bone chip", or "splinter of bone" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "bone sliver" or "bone splinter"?

"Bone sliver" and "bone splinter" are both correct, but "bone sliver" is more commonly used to describe a small, sharp piece of bone, while "bone splinter" implies a more needle-like shape.

What's the difference between "bone sliver" and "bone fragment"?

While both refer to broken pieces of bone, "bone sliver" suggests a smaller, sharper piece, whereas "bone fragment" is a more general term for any broken piece of bone.