fossa

fos·sa ¹

 (fŏs′ə)

n. pl. fos·sae (fŏs′ē′) Anatomy

A small cavity or depression, as in a bone.

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[Latin, ditch, from feminine past participle of fodere, to dig.]

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fos′sate′ (fŏs′āt′) adj.

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fos·sa ²

 (fŏs′ə)

n.

A catlike carnivorous mammal (Cryptoprocta ferox) of Madagascar, having reddish-brown fur, a long tail, long whiskers, and retractile claws.

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[Malagasy fosa.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

fossa

(ˈfɒsə)

n, pl -sae (-siː)

(Anatomy) an anatomical depression, trench, or hollow area

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

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fossa

(ˈfɒsə)

n

(Animals) 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

[from Malagasy]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

fos•sa¹

(ˈfɒs ə)

n., pl. fos•sae (ˈfɒs i)

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

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

fos•sa²

(ˈfɒs ə)

n., pl. -sas.

a large viverrid carnivore, Cryptoprocta ferox, of Madagascar. Also called fos′sa cat`.

[1830–40; < Malagasy]

Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

fossa

A shallow depression.

Dictionary of Unfamiliar Words by Diagram Group Copyright © 2008 by Diagram Visual Information Limited

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	fossa - a concavity in a surface (especially an anatomical depression) pit glenoid cavity, glenoid fossa - the concavity in the head of the scapula that receives the head of the humerus to form the shoulder joint glenoid fossa, mandibular fossa - a deep concavity in the temporal bone at the root of the zygomatic arch that receives the condyle of the mandible bodily cavity, cavum, cavity - (anatomy) a natural hollow or sinus within the body epigastric fossa, pit of the stomach - a slight depression in the midline just below the sternum (where a blow can affect the solar plexus) concave shape, concavity, incurvation, incurvature - a shape that curves or bends inward
	2.	Fossa - monotypic genus of Madagascar civets closely related to palm civets genus Fossa mammal genus - a genus of mammals family Viverridae, family Viverrinae, Viverridae, Viverrinae - genets; civets; mongooses fanaloka, Fossa fossa - civet of Madagascar
	3.	fossa - largest carnivore of Madagascar; intermediate in some respects between cats and civets Cryptoprocta ferox, fossa cat viverrine, viverrine mammal - small cat-like predatory mammals of warmer parts of the Old World

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

Translations

fos·sa

n. L. fosa, cavidad, hueco, depresión;

___ glenoid → ___ glenoidea;

___ interpeduncular → ___ interpeduncular;

___ jugular → ___ yugular;

___ mandibular → ___ mandibular;

___ nasal → ___ nasal;

___ navicular → ___ navicular.

English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012

fossa

n fosa

English-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.