fossa
/ˈfɒs.ə/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈfɑː.sə/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈfä-sə/ (ame, mw)
fossa — noun
- fossasingular
- fossasplural
1. a natural dip, pit, or groove in the body, most often found in a bone
a natural dip, pit, or groove in the body, most often found in a bone
Dr. Okafor pointed to a small fossa on the patient's hip X-ray.
collocation: small fossa on [bone]
The anatomy textbook labelled the fossa just below the shoulder blade.
Amara learned that a fossa in the skull can hold a major blood vessel.
The surgeon carefully traced the edge of the fossa with her finger.
A deep fossa at the back of the knee joint caught the radiologist's eye.
- depression
more general; used for any sunken area on a surface, not only in anatomy
- cavity
implies a fully enclosed hollow space with walls, like the nasal cavity
- groove
long and narrow, like a channel; a fossa can be rounder or wider
- pit
sharper and deeper, like a small crater; more everyday than fossa
- protrusion
something that sticks out rather than sinking in
- ridge
a raised line along a bone, opposite of a groove-like fossa
用法筆記
Technical medical term. Never used to describe everyday holes, hollows, or pits outside anatomical contexts.
常見錯誤
2. a meat-eating mammal from Madagascar that looks somewhat like a cat, with a slim
a meat-eating mammal from Madagascar that looks somewhat like a cat, with a slim body, a long tail, and fur that is usually reddish-brown or black
Yuki spotted a fossa slinking through the trees in a Madagascar nature reserve.
fossa + present participle for action
The zoo's new fossa drew crowds with its long tail and quick movements.
collocation: zoo's fossa
A fossa can climb trees as easily as it runs along the forest floor.
Jabari watched a wildlife film in which a fossa hunted lemurs at dusk.
The guide told Esther the fossa is Madagascar's largest meat-eating animal.
用法筆記
This animal lives only on the island of Madagascar and is not found in the wild anywhere else.