fossilized
adjective
fos·sil·ized
ˈfä-sə-ˌlīzd 
1
: having been changed into a fossil : subjected to fossilization
fossilized wood
And in 1997 he found several thousand fossilized eggs from a giant sauropod, or plant-eating dinosaur, just 120 miles north. The find included the first-known fossilized dinosaur embryos, as bits of fossilized dino-skin.—
Eric Niiler
Eric Niiler2
: old and unchanging or outmoded
fossilized notions
As the mountains get higher, the houses become tin-roof shacks, with yards full of fossilized appliances and ancient cars.—Elizabeth Gilbert
: made firm, fixed, or rigid by the passage of time
Elizabeth GilbertI love the living language more than the fossilized variety with its hardened meanings and set-in-stone lexicon.—Paul McFedries
Paul McFedriesI know when I took photos in the past I was looking either for particularly artistic shots or ones that might become fossilized memories adorning a mantel.—Robert W. Lucky
Robert W. LuckyExamples of fossilized in a Sentence
fossilized notions about the proper place of women in society
Recent Examples on the Web
But around 13 million years ago, one of them may have fallen prey to an even larger creature, a team of paleontologists in Colombia have discovered after examining bite marks in a fossilized bone of one of the fearsome birds.
—Peter Guo, NBC news, 24 July 2025
The fossilized worm found in the Grand Canyon represents a previously unknown species.
—Kameryn Griesser, CNN Money, 24 July 2025
Officials also discovered fossilized vegetation in the bore hole near the bone.
—Ashley J. Dimella, FOXNews.com, 11 July 2025
For decades, visitors have flocked to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science to see the fossilized bones of prehistoric behemoths like Diplodocus and Stegosaurus on display.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for fossilized
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Peter Guo, NBC news, 24 July 2025
The fossilized worm found in the Grand Canyon represents a previously unknown species.
—Kameryn Griesser, CNN Money, 24 July 2025
Officials also discovered fossilized vegetation in the bore hole near the bone.
—Ashley J. Dimella, FOXNews.com, 11 July 2025
For decades, visitors have flocked to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science to see the fossilized bones of prehistoric behemoths like Diplodocus and Stegosaurus on display.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for fossilized
Cite this Entry
“Fossilized.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fossilized. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share