Word Study
fossa
WORDNET DICTIONARY
Noun fossa has 3 senses
- fossa(n = noun.shape) pit - a concavity in a surface (especially an anatomical depression); Array has particulars: glenoid cavity, glenoid fossa, glenoid fossa, mandibular fossa, epigastric fossa, pit of the stomach
- fossa(n = noun.animal) genus fossa - monotypic genus of Madagascar civets closely related to palm civets; Array is a kind of mammal genus
- fossa(n = noun.animal) cryptoprocta ferox, fossa cat - largest carnivore of Madagascar; intermediate in some respects between cats and civets; Array is a kind of viverrine, viverrine mammal
is a kind of bodily cavity, cavity, cavum, concave shape, concavity, incurvation, incurvature
is a member of family viverridae, family viverrinae, viverridae, viverrinae
CIDE DICTIONARY
fossa, n. [L., a ditch. See Fosse.].
A pit, groove, cavity, or depression, of greater or less depth; as, the temporal fossa on the side of the skull; the nasal fossæ containing the nostrils in most birds. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
fossa, n. (pl. fossae) Anat. a shallow depression or cavity.
Etymology
L, = ditch, fem. past part. of fodere dig
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