FOSSILISATION

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does fossilisation mean? 

• FOSSILISATION (noun)
  The noun FOSSILISATION has 2 senses:

1. the process of fossilizing a plant or animal that existed in some earlier age; the process of being turned to stone

2. becoming inflexible or out of date

  Familiarity information: FOSSILISATION used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• FOSSILISATION (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The process of fossilizing a plant or animal that existed in some earlier age; the process of being turned to stone

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural processes

Synonyms:

fossilisation; fossilization

Hypernyms ("fossilisation" is a kind of...):

action; activity; natural action; natural process (a process existing in or produced by nature (rather than by the intent of human beings))

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "fossilisation"):

petrifaction; petrification (the process of turning some plant material into stone by infiltration with water carrying mineral particles without changing the original shape)

Derivation:

fossilise (convert to a fossil)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Becoming inflexible or out of date

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

fossilisation; fossilization

Hypernyms ("fossilisation" is a kind of...):

passage; transition (the act of passing from one state or place to the next)

Derivation:

fossilise (become mentally inflexible)