fossilization

American  

[fahs-uh-liz-ay-shuhn, -lahyz-] / ˌfɑs ə lɪzˈeɪ ʃən, -laɪz- /

noun

• fossilizations
  plural

1. the process of fossilizing.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• defossilization
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• fossilizations
  plural

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Explanation

Fossilization is the process of an animal or plant becoming preserved in a hard, petrified form. Fossilization often results in the impression of an organism being left in a rock. When a leaf or an animal skeleton becomes a fossil, that's fossilization. Fossils are the preserved remains of a prehistoric creature — fossilization takes a very long time, so if you see a fossil, you know it's at least 10,000 years old. Originally, fossil was defined as "anything that's dug up," from the Latin fossilis, "dug up." By the 18th century, both fossil and fossilization specifically referred to "the geological remains of a plant or animal."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

fossilization

Without shells, bones or other hard structures, they would have been far less likely to survive the fossilization process than many later animals.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 7, 2026

This suggests animals may have occupied environments different from those represented in the Kheseen deposits, or that the chemical conditions responsible for fossilization there were not suitable for preserving animal remains.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 7, 2026

At such locations, fossils may retain not only bones and other hard tissues, but also delicate soft structures that are usually lost during fossilization.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 15, 2026

These fossils are exceptionally rare because they preserved not only the feathers but also their original coloration, thanks to unique fossilization conditions in the region.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 18, 2026

To evoking the instincts of bygone ages, which have not been preserved by fossilization?

From More Hunting Wasps by Alexander Teixeira de Mattos

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