Synonyms for
Fossils
Definition
The remains or traces of plants or animals that lived a long time ago, often preserved in rock.
Synonyms & similar words
Synonyms by register
Antonyms
Common collocations
- fossil fuels
- fossil record
- fossil discovery
- fossil hunter
- fossilized bone
- fossil site
- fossil evidence
Word family
Usage note
The term 'fossil' primarily refers to the preserved remains or traces of ancient organisms. It can also be used metaphorically to describe something outdated or old-fashioned.
Example sentences
- The paleontologist found a fossil of a dinosaur.
- We went on a hike and found some fossils in the rocks.
- The museum has a large collection of fossils.
- My little brother loves learning about fossils and dinosaurs.
- Scientists use fossils to learn about what animals and plants were like a long time ago.
Quotes
'Fossils have become the textbooks of the earth. When we open these books, we can learn about the earth's history going back hundreds of millions of years.' - Richard Leakey
'Every fossil is a clue in the puzzle of evolution.' - Simon Conway Morris
'There are no shortcuts to understanding the relationships between extinct and living species, and no intuitive way to identify the features that might pinpoint the ancestry of a fossil group.' - Kevin Padian