Illustration of fossa
- 2fossa
: an anatomical pit, groove, or depression
: 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
Fiona Sunquist
Examples of fossa in a Sentence
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Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 9 May 2025
The issue occurs when the end (head) of the humerus bone partially shifts out of the glenoid fossa (socket) portion of the shoulder joint.
—Tim Petrie, Dpt, Verywell Health, 28 July 2024
These procedures are usually performed to secure the humeral head in the glenoid fossa and prevent further episodes of instability.
—Tim Petrie, Dpt, Verywell Health, 28 July 2024
Similar to a golf ball resting on a golf tee, only a small portion of the humeral head makes contact with the glenoid fossa at any time.
—Tim Petrie, Dpt, Verywell Health, 28 July 2024
In life, the carnivore was about the size of a bobcat and probably behaved like a civet or fossa.
—Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 June 2023
If regional anesthesia is used, the anesthetic may be injected in the spine (spinal epidural block) or a shallow bundle of nerves behind the knee called the popliteal fossa.
—Stuart Hershman, Verywell Health, 27 June 2023
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
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Noun
Zaza, a 7-year-old male fossa, has been transferred from California to England to breed with Shala, Chester Zoo’s resident female, according to a May 9 news release.
—Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 9 May 2025
The issue occurs when the end (head) of the humerus bone partially shifts out of the glenoid fossa (socket) portion of the shoulder joint.
—Tim Petrie, Dpt, Verywell Health, 28 July 2024
These procedures are usually performed to secure the humeral head in the glenoid fossa and prevent further episodes of instability.
—Tim Petrie, Dpt, Verywell Health, 28 July 2024
Similar to a golf ball resting on a golf tee, only a small portion of the humeral head makes contact with the glenoid fossa at any time.
—Tim Petrie, Dpt, Verywell Health, 28 July 2024
In life, the carnivore was about the size of a bobcat and probably behaved like a civet or fossa.
—Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 June 2023
If regional anesthesia is used, the anesthetic may be injected in the spine (spinal epidural block) or a shallow bundle of nerves behind the knee called the popliteal fossa.
—Stuart Hershman, Verywell Health, 27 June 2023
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
Cite this Entry
“Fossa.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fossa. Accessed 21 May. 2025.
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