What does "fossil" mean?
The mineralized remains of an animal or plant.
Fossil
/ˈfɒsl̩/ name, noun
name, noun ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The mineralized remains of an animal or plant.
- Grammar: fossil is listed as name, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: afterglow, afterimage, ancient, ancient manuscript.
- Useful contrasts: biobased material, extant mammal, current.
- Usage evidence: Fossil fuels won't be available forever.
How to use "fossil"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "fossil" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "fossil" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "fossil" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "fossil" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "fossil" is acting as name, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "afterglow" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "fossil", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The mineralized remains of an animal or plant.
"With the permission of the Keeper of the fossil collection, therefore, the specimen was subjected to a further careful removal of the matrix in the requisite directions."
- 2 the remains (or an impression) of a plant or animal that existed in a past geological age and that has been excavated from the soil wordnet
- 3 Any preserved evidence of ancient life, including shells, imprints, burrows, coprolites, and organically-produced chemicals.
"He draws eclectically on studies of baboons, descriptive anthropological accounts of hunter-gatherer societies and, in a few cases, the fossil record."
- 4 someone whose style is out of fashion wordnet
- 5 A fossil word.
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 Anything extremely old, extinct, or outdated. figuratively
- 7 An extremely old or outdated person. derogatory, figuratively
"I do not want to convey any disrespectful notion or slight when I call those good and learned men fossils, but my experience is that people are apt to fossilise even at a University if they follow the same paths too persistently."
Adjective
- 1 characteristic of a fossil wordnet
Proper Noun
- 1 A small city, the county seat of Wheeler County, Oregon, United States.
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"Fossil fuels won't be available forever."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "fossil"?
Common synonyms include: afterglow, afterimage, ancient, ancient manuscript, antediluvian, antiquated.
How do you use "fossil" in a sentence?
Fossil fuels won't be available forever.
How do you pronounce "fossil"?
Pronounced /ˈfɒsl̩/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From French fossile, from Latin fossilis (“something which has been dug up”), from fodio (“I dig up”).
Etymology 2
From the standard noun fossil, because of fossil finds in the area.