Where does “fossa” come from?

Fossa comes from Latin fossa, derived from the past participle of Latin fodere, which developed from Latin fodio meaning to dig, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European bʰod-.

fossa (English): A pit, groove, cavity, or depression; A long,...

Definitions

  1. A pit, groove, cavity, or depression; A long,...

Ancestry of “fossa”, step by step

fossa traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Latin fossa

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinfossaditch, trench, moat; gutter, waterway; grave
2Latinfodiōto dig, dig up, dig out; to bury; to dig or clear out the earth from a place; to mine, quarry
3Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰod-to pierce, dig

via Malagasy fosa

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Malagasyfosafossa

Words derived from “fossa”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰod- →Every word from Latin fodiō →Every word from Latin fossa →