fossa Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a concavity in a surface (especially an anatomical depression)
    pit.
  2. noun monotypic genus of Madagascar civets closely related to palm civets
    genus Fossa.
  3. noun largest carnivore of Madagascar; intermediate in some respects between cats and civets
    fossa cat; Cryptoprocta ferox.

WordNet

Fos"sa noun
Etymology
L., a ditch. See Fosse.
Wordforms
plural FossÆ
Definitions
  1. (Anat.) A pit, groove, cavity, or depression, of greater or less depth; as, the temporal fossa on the side of the skull; the nasal fossæ containing the nostrils in most birds.

Webster 1913