fossa

1 of 2

noun (1)

fos·​sa ˈfä-sə 

plural fossae ˈfä-ˌsē 

-ˌsī

: an anatomical pit, groove, or depression

fossa

2 of 2

noun (2)

: a slender, long-tailed, carnivorous mammal (Cryptoprocta ferox of the family Eupleridae) of Madagascar that has retractile claws, usually reddish-brown or sometimes black, short, thick fur, and anal scent glands

The fossa evolved on the catless island of Madagascar, where it became the ecological equivalent of a cat. With nothing else around to fill the role, the fossa became a sort of mini-leopard, hunting lemurs and other small animals in the forest at night.

—Fiona Sunquist

Illustration of fossa

• ²fossa

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Overall, Poust notes, Diegoaelurus was probably closer in appearance to a civet or a fossa. —Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Mar. 2022

By comparison, the far-more-ancient Diegoaelurus was much smaller, about the size of a bobcat, and similar in style to the fossa of Madagascar, a cousin to the mongoose, Poust said. —Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Mar. 2022

Its temporal fossa – the shallow depression on the side of the skull – was enormous and could old huge jaw-closing muscles. —Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 30 June 2010

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

borrowed from Medieval Latin, going back to Latin, "ditch, trench," noun derivative from feminine of fossus, past participle of fodere "to jab, dig" — more at fossil entry 1

Noun (2)

borrowed from French, borrowed from Malagasy fosa

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1733, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1838, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

fossa

noun

fos·​sa

ˈfäs-ə

: a slender long-tailed meat-eating mammal of Madagascar that has usually reddish brown short thick fur and is an excellent climber

Medical Definition

fossa

noun

fos·​sa ˈfäs-ə 

plural fossae -ˌē  -ˌī 

: an anatomical pit, groove, or depression

the temporal fossa of the skull

the fossa in the liver for the gallbladder

fossate

-ˌāt 

adjective