fossil

1 of 2

adjective

fos·​sil ˈfä-səl 

1

: preserved from a past geologic age

fossil plants

fossil water in an underground reservoir

2

: being or resembling a fossil

3

: of or relating to fossil fuel

fossil energy sources

fossil

2 of 2

noun

1

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

2

a

: a person whose views are outmoded : fogy

b

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

3

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

Did you know?

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.

Synonyms

Noun

• antediluvian
• Colonel Blimp
• dodo
• fogy
• fogey
• fud
• fuddy-duddy
• mossback
• reactionary
• stick-in-the-mud
• stuffed shirt

Examples of fossil in a Sentence

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

Volvo Penta says that their diesel engines have been compatible with HVO since 2016, seeing it as a stable, high-quality fuel suitable for marine power systems that can lower fossil CO2 emissions by up to 90 percent, depending on the feedstock. —Kathleen Turner, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024

Set in a form of fossil resin called copal, the specimen represents a new species named Myrmarachne colombiana, and is the first ant-mimicking spider from Colombia, whether fossilized or non-fossilized. —Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 28 Mar. 2024

In fact, fossil smuggling out of Brazil remains a vexing problem for authorities. —Isaac Schultz / Gizmodo, Quartz, 28 Mar. 2024

Day trips to Cape Lookout and Aurora, known for fossil digging and the Aurora Fossil Museum, are a lot of fun, and Captain’s Quarters Inn and Granville Queen Inn offer both historic and tranquil lodging options. —Trudy Haywood Saunders, Travel + Leisure, 26 Mar. 2024

Excavations revealed fossil mammoth teeth and ostrich eggshells, as well as bones with cut marks, writes New Scientist’s Michael Le Page. —Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Mar. 2024

The fossil tale of the pinnipeds is not nearly as old as that of whales. —Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 Mar. 2024

In Morocco, Nizar Ibrahim leads a team into the Saharan desert on a quest to unearth the next great scientific discovery but must negotiate with fossil dealers who want big money for the same bones. —Leo Barraclough, Variety, 7 Mar. 2024

However, research contradicts this tale, indicating that snakes never inhabited the Emerald Isle — as the entire island was once covered in ice, and there is no fossil evidence of snakes in the region. —Diane J. Cho, Peoplemag, 7 Mar. 2024

Noun

When described in 2022, large turtles had been found in fossils deposits in North America, but this was the biggest European specimen. —Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024

Biodiesel is a renewable alternative to fossil fuelsused in the EU’s transport sector. —Hanna Ziady, CNN, 28 Mar. 2024

Just off the park entrance, Dino Valley features three rides, carnival-style games with dinosaur plush toy prizes and a hands-on play area, where kids can build with Legos and dig for fossils. —Natallie Rocha, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Mar. 2024

Coelophysis fossils have also been discovered in the park, but dinosaurs only make up a fraction of the prehistoric life that once thrived across its more than 221,000 acres. —Eve Chen, USA TODAY, 23 Mar. 2024

Finding and uncovering fossil pinnipeds in the first place is a challenging task. —Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 Mar. 2024

The fossil has an enormous jaw with 12 rows of sharp teeth and large spines along its back. —Elizabeth Gamillo, Discover Magazine, 21 Mar. 2024

Dating back 390 million years, the fossils break the record held by a forest in New York state by 4 million years, reads a press release from the University of Cambridge published Thursday. —Jack Guy, CNN, 7 Mar. 2024

The aquatic reptile, said to be from the Triassic Period in China, has been on scientists’ radars since 2003, but the discovery of more complete specimens, including one fully articulated fossil, gave them the opportunity to get a full picture of the creature. —Amaris Encinas, USA TODAY, 27 Feb. 2024

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)"

Noun

derivative of fossil entry 1, or borrowed directly from Latin fossilis

First Known Use

Adjective

1665, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1736, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing fossil

• living fossil
• fossil fuel
• index fossil
• trace fossil

Kids Definition

fossil

1 of 2 adjective

fos·​sil ˈfäs-əl 

: being or resembling a fossil

fossil

2 of 2 noun

1

: a trace or print or the remains of a plant or animal of a past age preserved in earth or rock

2

a

: a person whose ideas are out-of-date

b

: something that has become fixed and cannot be changed