fossa

[ fos-uh ]

/ ˈfɒs ə /

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noun, plural fos·sae

[fos-ee]. /ˈfɒs i/. Anatomy.

a pit, cavity, or depression, as in a bone.

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Origin of fossa

1820–30; <Latin: ditch, trench, fosse, short for fossa (terra) dug or dug out (earth), noun use of feminine of fossus, past participle of fodere to dig

Other definitions for fossa (2 of 2)

fossa²

[ fos-uh ]

/ ˈfɒs ə /

noun

a forest-dwelling genetlike mammal, Cryptoprocta ferox, of the civet family, native to Madagascar, with a short coat of white, black, gray, or brown: now rare.

Also called fossa cat .

Origin of fossa

1830–40; <Malagasy; compare earlier fossane (<French < Malagasy)

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use fossa in a sentence

Occasionally it would appear that the inflammation begins in the throat, and reaches the face through the nasal fossae.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 9, Slice 7|Various
There are large supratemporal fossae, bounded below by supratemporal arcades.
The Vertebrate Skeleton|Sidney H. Reynolds
As regards the skull, the quadrate is large and fixed, and supratemporal and infratemporal fossae bounded by bone occur.
The Vertebrate Skeleton|Sidney H. Reynolds
Supratemporal, infratemporal, and post-temporal fossae occur, but no interparietal foramen.
The Vertebrate Skeleton|Sidney H. Reynolds

The supratemporal fossae are small, and open posteriorly, the lateral temporal fossae are very large.
The Vertebrate Skeleton|Sidney H. Reynolds

British Dictionary definitions for fossa (1 of 2)

fossa¹

/ (ˈfɒsə) /

noun plural -sae (-siː)

an anatomical depression, trench, or hollow area

Word Origin for fossa

C19: from Latin: ditch, from fossus dug up, from fodere to dig up

British Dictionary definitions for fossa (2 of 2)

fossa²

/ (ˈfɒsə) /

noun

a large primitive catlike viverrine mammal, Cryptoprocta ferox, inhabiting the forests of Madagascar: order Carnivora (carnivores). It has thick reddish-brown fur and preys on lemurs, poultry, etc

Word Origin for fossa

from Malagasy

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medical definitions for fossa

fossa

[ fŏs′ə ]

n. pl. fos•sae (fŏs′ē′)

A small longitudinal cavity or depression, as in a bone.