fossil

1 of 2

adjective

fos·sil ˈfä-səl

Synonyms of fossil next

: preserved from a past geologic age

fossil plants

fossil water in an underground reservoir

: being or resembling a fossil

: of or relating to fossil fuel

fossil energy sources

fossil

2 of 2

noun

: a remnant, impression, or trace of an organism of past geologic ages that has been preserved in the earth's crust compare living fossil

: a person whose views are outmoded : fogy

: something (such as a theory) that has become rigidly fixed

: an old word or word element preserved only by idiom (such as fro in to and fro)

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A remnant, impression, or trace of an animal or plant of a past geologic age that has been preserved in the earth’s crust is called a fossil. Data from fossils are the primary source of information about the history of life on the earth. Only a small fraction of ancient organisms are preserved as fossils, and usually only organisms that have a solid skeleton or shell. Unaltered hard parts, such as the shells of clams, are relatively common in sedimentary rocks. The embedding of insects in amber and the preservation of mammoths in ice are rare but striking examples of the fossil preservation of soft tissues. Traces of organisms such as tracks and trails may also be preserved.

Example Sentences

Noun some old fossil who thinks that a boy and a girl shouldn't be together unsupervised until they are engaged

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

But Earth has warmed an average of 1.1 degrees Celsius since the industrial age, and, with global fossil-fuel emissions setting records last year, that goal is quickly slipping out of reach. —

Brad Plumer, BostonGlobe.com, 21 Mar. 2023 But Earth has already warmed an average of 1.1 degrees Celsius since the industrial age, and, with global fossil-fuel emissions setting records last year, that goal is quickly slipping out of reach. —

Brad Plumer, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2023 That’s because the fossil and geologic records are uneven, preserved in some places but not others. —

Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Mar. 2023 While a sea anemone is nothing rare, fossil versions are highly uncommon. —

Tim Newcomb, Popular Mechanics, 8 Mar. 2023 Scientists perform an autopsy on a fossil brown bear in Yakutsk, Russia, on Tuesday. —

Reuters, NBC News, 23 Feb. 2023 The two had consulted on fossil discoveries at other open-pit mines within the province. —

Jeanne Timmons, Ars Technica, 25 Jan. 2023 Shifting energy use toward renewable sources imposes significant costs on consumers, who, given the choice, overwhelmingly opt for cheaper and more reliable fossil-fuel sources. —

Casey B. Mulligan, National Review, 6 Mar. 2023 Yet approval remains uncertain, in part because of doubts about anti-fossil-fuel Interior Secretary Deb Haaland. —

The Editorial Board, WSJ, 1 Mar. 2023

Noun

The fossil was found in a small harbor in Estellencs, located in Spain’s Balearic Islands, known for its bluish rock layers that hide remains of plants, insects, fish, and more from the Middle Triassic. —

Sara Kiley Watson, Popular Science, 13 Mar. 2023 The fossil has helped scientists discover how animal species moved from water to land. —

Amy Schwabe, Journal Sentinel, 7 Mar. 2023 Alongside fossil-fuel growth, Exxon plans to ramp up spending on clean-energy investments by focusing on carbon capture, hydrogen and biofuels. —

Dallas News, 31 Jan. 2023 The fossil seemed too poorly preserved to immediately identify. —

Riley Black, Scientific American, 23 Jan. 2023 When Benito returned to the fossil, he was puzzled by a bone the earlier analysis had identified as part of a shoulder but that seemed too small. —

Bygretchen Vogel, science.org, 30 Nov. 2022 However, the Times reported that questions about the fossil were raised in recent weeks. —

Julia Musto, Fox News, 22 Nov. 2022 The fossil was excavated in 2020 and 2021 from the Hell Creek Formation in Harding County, South Dakota. —

Dana Givens, Robb Report, 16 Nov. 2022 Sotheby's experts believe the 6 1/2-foot fossil dubbed Maximus is about 76 million years old, the AP reported. —

Abigail Adams, Peoplemag, 9 Nov. 2022 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fossil.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

earlier, "dug from the earth, preserved in the ground," borrowed from French & Latin; French fossile, borrowed from Latin fossilis "obtained by digging," from fodiō, fodere "to prod, jab, dig, remove by digging" (going back to Indo-European *b^hed^h-, *b^hod^h- "jab, dig," whence also Lithuanian bedù, bèsti "to stick, dig," Old Church Slavic bodǫ, bosti "to prick, stab," Hittite paddai "digs") + -tilis "produced by, characterized by (the action of the verb)"