Wordsmith.org: the magic of words

Wordsmith Talk

About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us  

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
#97321 03/01/03 06:01 PM
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
W
wwh Offline OP
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Maybe a repeat, search was too difficult. I was readiing biography of Georg Bauer, aka Agricola,
and it mentioned he wrote a book De Re Focillium. The first meani;ng of "fossil" is anything dug
out of a "fossa" - get it? Restriction ot ancient bones etc, came much later.


#97322 03/02/03 02:07 AM
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189
fossa

Thanks, Doc! That's somethin' I never knew all these fossiliferous years of paleontologisizing!

from the AHD:

fossa

SYLLABICATION: fos·sa
PRONUNCIATION: fs
NOUN: Inflected forms: pl. fos·sae (fs)
Anatomy A small cavity or depression, as in a bone.
ETYMOLOGY: Latin, ditch, from feminine past participle of fodere, to dig.
OTHER FORMS: fossate (fst) —ADJECTIVE




#97323 03/02/03 02:23 AM
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
W
wwh Offline OP
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
You're in the army now,
You're not behind a plow;
You'll never get rich,
Diggin a ditch
You son-of-a-bitch,
You're in the army now

And "foss" = "fossa" = ditch, trench!

fosse or foss
n.
5ME < OFr < L fossa < fossa (terra), dug (earth) < fossus: see FOSSIL6 a ditch or moat, esp. one used in fortifications




Moderated by  Jackie 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics
Forums16
Topics13,912
Posts229,283
Members9,179
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
Newest Members
TRIALNERRA, befuddledmind, KILL_YOUR_SUV, Heather_Turey, Standy
9,179 Registered Users
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 442 guests, and 3 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters(30 Days)
Top Posters
wwh 13,858
Faldage 13,803
Jackie 11,613
tsuwm 10,542
wofahulicodoc 10,510
LukeJavan8 9,916
AnnaStrophic 6,511
Wordwind 6,296
of troy 5,400
Disclaimer: Wordsmith.org is not responsible for views expressed on this site. Use of this forum is at your own risk and liability - you agree to hold Wordsmith.org and its associates harmless as a condition of using it.

Home | Today's Word | Yesterday's Word | Subscribe | FAQ | Archives | Search | Feedback
Wordsmith Talk | Wordsmith Chat

© 1994-2024 Wordsmith

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5