bone meal: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Technical/Agricultural/Everyday
Quick answer
What does “bone meal” mean?
A fertilizer or dietary supplement made from crushed or ground animal bones.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A fertilizer or dietary supplement made from crushed or ground animal bones.
Can also refer to ground bones used in archaeological contexts or as a metaphor for something reduced to basic, unidentifiable components.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling consistent. Usage in gardening/agriculture is identical. The term 'bone flour' is a less common but possible variant in both.
Connotations
Neutral technical term in both varieties. May evoke slight distaste in non-technical, everyday contexts.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in UK English due to strong gardening culture, but the difference is minimal.
Grammar
How to Use “bone meal” in a Sentence
apply bone meal to [noun]add bone meal to [noun][noun] fortified with bone mealbone meal as a source of [noun]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “bone meal” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- bone-meal fertiliser
- a bone-meal supplement
American English
- bone-meal fertilizer
- a bone-meal amendment
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Sold as a product in garden centres and agricultural supply stores.
Academic
Referenced in archaeology (e.g., 'bone meal deposits'), soil science, and sustainable agriculture studies.
Everyday
Used by gardeners to enrich soil, especially for flowering plants.
Technical
Specified as a source of calcium and phosphorus in animal feed or organic farming protocols.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “bone meal”
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “bone meal”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “bone meal”
- Misspelling as one word: 'bonemeal'. While accepted, 'bone meal' is standard.
- Using it as a verb (e.g., 'I will bone meal the roses').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it is commonly used, but it should be worked into the soil well before harvest to avoid any contamination risk. It is a natural source of phosphorus.
Phosphorus (in the form of phosphate), which is essential for root growth and flower/fruit production. It also contains calcium.
It is most beneficial for flowering plants, bulbs, and root crops. It is less critical for leafy greens, which require more nitrogen.
Bone meal is high in phosphorus and calcium. Blood meal is a nitrogen-rich fertilizer made from dried blood. They serve different purposes in plant nutrition.
A fertilizer or dietary supplement made from crushed or ground animal bones.
Bone meal is usually technical/agricultural/everyday in register.
Bone meal: in British English it is pronounced /ˈbəʊn ˌmiːl/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈboʊn ˌmiːl/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “to be ground to bone meal (rare, metaphorical for complete destruction)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'bone meal' like 'cornmeal' – it's a fine, powdery 'meal' made from bones, not a type of food for eating.
Conceptual Metaphor
MATERIAL FOR PRODUCT (Source: bone, Process: grinding, Product: meal).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'bone meal' LEAST likely to be used?