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

For 17 years, scientists (including paleontologists, geologists and fossil preparators) have worked on a project involving a unique type of titanosaurus. —

Allison Futterman, Discover Magazine, 16 June 2023 Additionally, joint ventures between fossil and renewable companies can breeze through other roadblocks by using the infrastructure that has already been built, like access roads and electrical transmission lines. —

Adam Met, Time, 15 June 2023 The Venice coastal area sits on top of a fossil layer that runs 18-35 feet deep. —

Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 12 June 2023 That was puzzling, because at least some fossil and genetic evidence suggests eukaryotes had evolved by 1.6 billion years ago. —

Bygretchen Vogel, science.org, 7 June 2023 Now startling new discoveries at a fossil site in South Africa are challenging this bedrock tenet of human evolution. —

Kate Wong, Scientific American, 5 June 2023 Many of the earliest fossil findings were Neandertals, a species that evolved in Europe by 250,000 years ago and became extinct around 40,000 years ago. —

Brian Anthony Keeling, The Conversation, 2 May 2023 What fossil bones were found on the monster penguin? —

Janet Loehrke, USA TODAY, 23 Feb. 2023 Because of the fossil condition, Brown could examine each bone structure (172 of them, to be exact). —

Mac Stone, Discover Magazine, 1 Feb. 2023

Noun

But what makes Folly Beach really special is the abundance of fossils, urchins, sand dollars, and starfish. —

Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 20 June 2023 In her office, Dölen keeps a collection of fossils, shells, succulents, and vintage science posters. —

WIRED, 15 June 2023 Cañadon de los Fosiles is a 4.5-hour trek from the estancia providing views of Lake Guillermo and the Upsala Glacier before descending through a valley of ancient fossils. —

Nora Walsh, Travel + Leisure, 5 June 2023 In recent decades, scientists have turned toward nondestructive techniques like CT scanning to create three-dimensional renderings of fossils. —

Jack Tamisiea, New York Times, 1 June 2023 Triceratops Fossils Are Among the Most Excavated The Hell Creek Formation in Montana is a region particularly rich in Triceratops fossils. —

Kelly Santana Banks, Discover Magazine, 22 Apr. 2023 Gem Faire Explore the largest selection of fine jewelry, crystals, gemstones, beads, minerals, fossils and other related items. —

oregonlive, 22 Mar. 2023 Admire a Tyrannosaurus rex fossil with the most complete hands and feet of any T. Rex discovered Prepare to be mesmerized in the Morian Hall of Paleontology, all 30,000 square feet of it. —

Vicki Salemi, Chron, 18 Mar. 2023 Herds of bison graze on the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park, endemic fossil spring snails cling to rocks found only in streams in parts of the Coconino National Forest, and bald eagles spread their wings over Roosevelt Lake. —

Jake Frederico, The Arizona Republic, 3 Mar. 2023 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)"