fossil
Definitions
The preserved remains or imprint of an ancient organism, turned to stone over time.
化石：古代生物经年累月石化的遗骸或印痕。
A person or thing that is hopelessly old-fashioned (informal, often joking).
（非正式，常带调侃）守旧落伍的人或事物；老顽固。
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedFrom Latin fossilis 'dug up' (from fodere 'to dig'). Originally any object dug from the ground; it narrowed to the stone-preserved remains of ancient life. The root keeps the original act: something dug out of the earth.
Root fossil still carries 4 more wordsWhy It Means This
The literal and figurative senses share one image: something turned to stone and stuck in the past. A real fossil is preserved life; an 'old fossil' is a person frozen in old ways; fossil fuels are ancient organisms preserved deep underground.
Common Collocations
- 1.fossil record化石记录
- 2.fossil fuel化石燃料
- 3.preserved fossil保存完好的化石
- 4.a living fossil活化石
Example Sentences
- 1.
Scientists discovered a perfectly preserved fish fossil in the cliff.
- 2.
Burning fossil fuels releases carbon stored for millions of years.
- 3.
My grandfather jokes that he's an old fossil who can't use a smartphone.