fossilize

fossilize
—fossilizable, adj. —fossilization, n.
/fos"euh luyz'/, v., fossilized, fossilizing.
v.t.
1. Geol. to convert into a fossil; replace organic with mineral substances in the remains of an organism.
2. to change as if into mere lifeless remains or traces of the past.
3. to make rigidly antiquated: Time has fossilized such methods.
v.i.
4. to become a fossil or fossillike: The plant fossilized in comparatively recent geologic time.
5. Ling. (of a linguistic form, feature, rule, etc.) to become permanently established in the interlanguage of a second-language learner in a form that is deviant from the target-language norm and that continues to appear in performance regardless of further exposure to the target language.
Also, esp. Brit., fossilise.
[1785-95; FOSSIL + -IZE]

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Fossilize — Fos sil*ize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Fossilized}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Fossilizing}.] [Cf. F. fossiliser.] 1. To convert into a fossil; to petrify; as, to fossilize bones or wood. [1913 Webster] 2. To cause to become antiquated, rigid, or fixed, as by… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Fossilize — Fos sil*ize, v. i. 1. To become fossil. [1913 Webster] 2. To become antiquated, rigid, or fixed, beyond the influence of change or progress. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • fossilize — 1794, from FOSSIL (Cf. fossil) + IZE (Cf. ize). Figurative use from 1856. Related: Fossilized; fossilizing …   Etymology dictionary

  • fossilize — (Amer.) fos·sil·ize || fÉ‘sɪlaɪz / fÉ’s v. change into a fossil, petrify; be petrified, become a fossil; make outmoded; become old fashioned or outmoded, become unchanging (also fossilise) …   English contemporary dictionary

  • fossilize — [fäs′əl īz΄] vt. fossilized, fossilizing 1. to change into a fossil or fossils; petrify 2. to make out of date, rigid, or incapable of change vi. to become fossilized fossilization n …   English World dictionary

  • fossilize — [[t]fɒ̱sɪlaɪz[/t]] fossilizes, fossilizing, fossilized (in BRIT, also use fossilise) 1) V ERG If the remains of an animal or plant fossilize or are fossilized, they become hard and form fossils, instead of decaying completely. The most important… …   English dictionary

  • fossilize — UK [ˈfɒsəlaɪz] / US [ˈfɑsəlˌaɪz] verb [intransitive/transitive] Word forms fossilize : present tense I/you/we/they fossilize he/she/it fossilizes present participle fossilizing past tense fossilized past participle fossilized to become a fossil… …   English dictionary

  • fossilize — fos|sil|ize also fossilise BrE [ˈfɔsılaız US ˈfa: ] v 1.) [usually passive] if people, ideas, systems etc fossilize or are fossilized, they never change or develop, even when there are good reasons why they should change ▪ Most couples, however… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • fossilize — fossil ► NOUN 1) the remains or impression of a prehistoric plant or animal embedded in rock and preserved in petrified form. 2) humorous an antiquated person or thing. DERIVATIVES fossiliferous adjective fossilization (also fossilisation) noun… …   English terms dictionary

  • fossilize — verb ( ized; izing) Date: 1794 transitive verb 1. to convert into a fossil 2. to make outmoded, rigid, or fixed intransitive verb to become changed into a fossil • fossilization noun …   New Collegiate Dictionary

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