fossil

Where does the word "fossil" come from? It comes from Latin fossilis, passing through French before entering English (1610s).

Fossil’s story begins in Latin: fossilis meant “dug up.” From 'fodere', to dig. By 1500s, the word had taken hold in French as fossile. Anything dug from the earth. It reached English by 1610s as fossil. The sense of preserved remains of life dates from the 1700s. Today, fossil means the remains of a prehistoric organism in rock.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient fossilis "dug up", from 'fodere', to dig.
2. Stage 2 · French · 1500s fossile "dug up", anything dug from the earth.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1610s fossil "dug-up object", the sense of preserved remains of life dates from the 1700s.