microfossil

[ mahy-kroh-fos-il ]

noun

1. a fossil so small that it can be studied and identified only with a microscope.

microfossil

/ ˈmaɪkrəʊˌfɒsəl /

noun

1. a fossil generally less than 0.5 millimetre in size, such as a protozoan, bacterium, or pollen grain

microfossil

/ mī′krō-fŏs′əl /

1. A microscopic fossil, as of a pollen grain or unicellular organism.

Word History and Origins

Origin of microfossil¹

First recorded in 1920–25; micro- + fossil

Example Sentences

Finally, microfossils and pollens changed within the same core section, from species that prefer drier climates to ones that tend to grow in warm and humid climates.

From Science News