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Glite Dictionary
microfossil

microfossil

8.8
Very small remains of plants or animals seen with a microscope
  • noun
  • /ˌmaɪkroʊˈfɑːsɪl/
  • Specialized
translation icon : microfósil
  • Researchers examined the microfossil under a microscope to understand its structure.

Examples

  • The scientist found a microfossil while studying samples from the ancient lake bed.

  • Rocks as old as 3.2 billion years exhibit mud cracks, ripple marks, and microfossil algae.

    Academic text (2006)

  • In the sediment layers, they discovered a microfossil that provided evidence of early life.

Synonyms

fossil
vsmicrofossil
  • Specialized
316 3.6

The preserved remains of a very old plant or animal in rock

is much smaller and needs a microscope to be studied

Surface Forms

microfossil singular
microfossils plural

Morphology

microfossil = fossil (transparent) = micro + fossil

The meaning is directly compositional: a microfossil is simply a very small fossil, usually requiring a microscope to study.

Etymology

The word microfossil comes from micro- ('small') and fossil ('dug up remains'). So a microfossil is a very small fossil that you usually need a microscope to see.