Definition

1. Noun:

   • The preserved remains or impression of an organism from a past geological age: A fossil is the mineralized or otherwise preserved evidence of ancient life, such as bones, shells, or leaf imprints, typically found embedded in rock or sediment.
   • A person or thing that is outdated or resistant to change: Informally, a fossil can refer to someone whose ideas, attitudes, or style are considered antiquated or out of fashion.

2. Adjective:

   • Characteristic of or resembling a fossil: Pertaining to the state of being ancient, preserved from a past era, or petrified.
   • Extremely old-fashioned or antiquated: Used to describe ideas, methods, or objects that are obsolete.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Remains):
  • The museum displayed a fossil of a dinosaur footprint.
  • Paleontologists study fossils to understand ancient ecosystems.
• Noun (Outdated person):
  • My grandfather is a fossil when it comes to using new technology.
• Adjective:
  • The fossil bones were carefully extracted from the cliff face.
  • His fossil management style doesn't work in the modern company.

Advanced Usage

• "Living fossil": An informal term for a living species that closely resembles species known only from fossils, implying it has changed very little over a long period.
  • The coelacanth is often called a living fossil.
• "Fossil fuel": A compound term for fuels like coal or oil, formed from the remains of ancient organisms. (Note: This is a compound term listed separately below).
• "Fossil record": The collective history of life on Earth as evidenced by fossils found in sedimentary rock layers.

Variants and Related Words

• Fossilize (verb): To become converted into a fossil; to become rigidly fixed in attitude or practice.
  • The wood fossilized over millions of years.
  • His opinions have fossilized and he refuses to consider new evidence.
• Fossilization (noun): The process of becoming a fossil or becoming antiquated.
• Fossiliferous (adjective): Containing fossils.
  • fossiliferous limestone
• Fossil fuel (noun): A fuel source formed from the decomposed remains of ancient organisms.
• Microfossil (noun): A fossil that can only be seen with a microscope.

Synonyms

• Noun (Remains): Relic, remains, impression, petrification.
• Noun (Outdated person): Dinosaur, fuddy-duddy, stick-in-the-mud, antiquary.
• Adjective: Antiquated, archaic, obsolete, petrified.

Related Phrases

• "To be a fossil": To be completely out of touch with current trends or ideas.
  • He doesn't even have a smartphone; he's such a fossil.
• "Fossil hunting": The activity of searching for fossils.
  • We went fossil hunting at the beach.

Adjective

1. characteristic of a fossil

Noun

1. 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
2. someone whose style is out of fashion