bare-bones

Adjective

bare-bones (comparative more bare-bones, superlative most bare-bones)

1. (idiomatic) Minimalist; lacking that which is not essential.
   • Meals on early space flights were bare-bones affairs; able to supply nutrition, but severely lacking in palatability.
   • Considering their civilization endured both the immense disaster of the Scourge and the brutal kett invasion, angara possess remarkably advanced technology. Their starships, while generally small and bare-bones functional, are more than capable of keeping pace with Andromeda Initiative vessels.2017, BioWare, Mass Effect: Andromeda (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →OCLC, PC, scene: Angara: Technology Codex entry

   Synonyms:

   no-frills, skeleton

2. (idiomatic) Describes a computer sold preassembled, but without certain essential components, such as a processor, memory, and hard drive.
   • Emil bought a bare-bones rig and a new CPU at the computer show, then popped in his old hard drive.