fossa

¹ American  

[fos-uh] / ˈfɒs ə /

noun

Anatomy.

plural

fossae

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

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fossa ² American  

[fos-uh] / ˈfɒs ə /

noun

1. 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.

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fossa ¹ British  

/ ˈfɒsə /

noun

1. an anatomical depression, trench, or hollow area

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fossa ² British  

/ ˈfɒsə /

noun

1. 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

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Etymology

Origin of fossa¹

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

Origin of fossa²

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

Example Sentences

It is home to wildlife such as ring-tailed lemurs, the long-tailed cat, the fossa, spiny hedgehog-like mammals called tenrecs and nocturnal primates known as aye-ayes.

From BBC • Jan. 10, 2023

The greater wings of the sphenoid bone extend laterally to either side away from the sella turcica, where they form the anterior floor of the middle cranial fossa.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

The middle cranial fossa is divided at the midline by the upward bony prominence of the sella turcica, a part of the sphenoid bone.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

Both the temporal fossa and infratemporal fossa contain muscles that act on the mandible during chewing.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

The pus eventually is discharged beneath Poupart's ligament, in the lower portion of the inguinal fossa, at some point upon the crest of the ilium, or exceptionally along the thigh.

From A System of Practical Medicine by American Authors, Vol. I Volume 1: Pathology and General Diseases by Various