fossil

fossil — noun

1. the hardened shape or mark of an ancient living thing that died long ago and bec

1.nounB1
Definition

the hardened shape or mark of an ancient living thing that died long ago and became trapped inside stone over millions of years

Example

The museum displayed a dinosaur fossil that was over 150 million years old.

collocation: dinosaur fossil

João found a small fossil of an ancient sea creature while hiking.

Common collocations
  • dinosaur fossil
  • fossil remains
  • fossil record
  • discover a fossil
  • dig up a fossil
Synonyms
  • remains

    broader term — can refer to any leftover part, not just rock-preserved ones

  • impression

    specifically a fossil that is a flat mark or imprint rather than a three-dimensional shape

Grammar Patterns

fossil of + noun

Usage Note

Fossils form when minerals in water slowly replace the organic material of a dead organism, turning it into stone over millions of years.

Common Mistakes

The museum showed a skeleton fossil of a dinosaur.
The museum showed a dinosaur fossil.
'fossil' already includes the idea of preserved remains; 'skeleton fossil' is redundant.

2. an insulting word for someone, usually older, who sticks to outdated opinions an

2.nounC1
Definition

an insulting word for someone, usually older, who sticks to outdated opinions and strongly dislikes change or fresh approaches

Example

Grandpa is a bit of a fossil when it comes to using modern technology.

informal: 'a bit of a fossil'

Quinn called his boss an old fossil for refusing to allow remote work.

Common collocations
  • old fossil
  • boring old fossil
Synonyms
  • fogy

    milder and less common; also means an old-fashioned person but without the same ironic edge

  • dinosaur

    similar figurative sense — someone stuck in the past; equally informal

Grammar Patterns

old fossil

Usage Note

This sense is highly informal and can be offensive. It is often used humorously within a group but should be avoided in polite or formal conversation.

fossil — adjective

Word family

  • fossilize
    verbC1
  • fossilization
    nounC1
  • fossilized
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

While all four words refer to something left behind from the past, they have distinct uses. 'Remains' is the broadest — it can mean any leftover part of a dead organism, whether preserved in rock or not. 'Relic' usually describes a cultural or religious object from an earlier time, such as a medieval sword or a saint's bone. 'Artifact' is limited to human-made objects like pottery or tools. 'Impression' is a specific type of fossil: a flat mark left on soft rock, such as a leaf print or footprint, rather than a three-dimensional shape. For example: a dinosaur bone is a 'fossil' or 'fossilized remains'; a stone arrowhead is an 'artifact'; a footprint turned to stone is an 'impression'; and a crown from a lost kingdom is a 'relic'.

remains ↗relicartifact ↗impression ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • fossil record
  • fossil fuel
  • fossil hunter
  • fossil collection

Phrases

  • living fossil
  • old fossil

Prepositions

  • fossil of

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'fossil' comes from the Latin 'fossilis', meaning 'dug up', from 'fodere' ('to dig'). It first appeared in English in the 1600s to describe anything dug out of the ground, including minerals and rocks. Over time, the meaning narrowed to the preserved remains of ancient living things.