"You're not fat. You're big boned"

I've heard this all my life. I went from 235 pounds to 150 pounds. And I'm not thin, but I can feel and see my ribs. And I see other women who are skinny and if I was that thin, I would look anorexic.

So my question is do you think big boned is a real thing or just something people say to feel better?

I think in a way it's real, but not how people use it. Like the skeleton differs in size from person to person... If there's a scientific reason, then please explain 😊