fossil

English Online Dictionary. What means fossil‎? What does fossil mean?

English

Etymology

From French fossile, from Latin fossilis (“something which has been dug up”), from fodio (“I dig up”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈfɒsl̩/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈfɑsl̩/
• Rhymes: -ɒsəl
• Hyphenation: fos‧sil

Noun

fossil (plural fossils)

1. The mineralized remains of an animal or plant.
2. (paleontology) Any preserved evidence of ancient life, including shells, imprints, burrows, coprolites, and organically-produced chemicals.
3. (linguistics) A fossil word.
4. (figuratively) Anything extremely old, extinct, or outdated.
5. (figuratively, derogatory) An extremely old or outdated person.

Derived terms

Translations

See also

• coprolite
• Fossil (Oregon)

Danish

Etymology 1

From Latin fossilis, from fossa (“ditch”).

Adjective

fossil

1. fossil (noun modifier), fossilised (UK), fossilized

Inflection

Etymology 2

From New Latin fossile.

Noun

fossil n (singular definite fossilet, plural indefinite fossiler)

1. fossil

Inflection

German

Etymology

From Latin fossilis (“something which has been dug up”), from fodio (“I dig up”).

Adjective

fossil (strong nominative masculine singular fossiler, not comparable)

1. fossil

Declension

Further reading

• “fossil” in Duden online
• “fossil” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology 1

From Latin fossilis.

Adjective

fossil (neuter singular fossilt, definite singular and plural fossile)

1. fossilised (UK), fossilized, or fossil (noun modifier: e.g. fossil fuels)

Etymology 2

From New Latin fossile.

Noun

fossil m or n (definite singular fossilen or fossilet, indefinite plural fossiler or fossil, definite plural fossilene or fossila)

1. a fossil (fossilised remains of an animal or plant)

Derived terms

• levende fossil

References

• “fossil” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology 1

From Latin fossilis.

Adjective

fossil (neuter singular fossilt, definite singular and plural fossile)

1. fossilised (UK), fossilized, or fossil (noun modifier)

Etymology 2

From New Latin.

Noun

fossil n (definite singular fossilet, indefinite plural fossil, definite plural fossila)

1. a fossil (as above)

References

• “fossil” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Swedish

Pronunciation

Adjective

fossil

1. fossil

Declension

Noun

fossil n

1. a fossil

Declension

Related terms

References

• fossil in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)