fossa

Everyday

1. A fossa is a slim, cat-like meat-eating animal that lives only in Madagascar, the island's top predator. tree →
2. In anatomy, a fossa is a small hollow or dip in a bone or the body. tree →

In the lessons

In science, the fossa hunts lemurs and climbs trees using its long tail for balance; it appears in the film «Madagascar». It is related to mongooses, not cats.

Examples

• The fossa leapt through the trees after a lemur. tree →
• Fossas live only in Madagascar. tree →
• A fossa looks like a cat but isn't one. tree →
• Its long tail helps it balance on branches. tree →
• The doctor pointed to a small fossa in the skull bone. tree →
• The fossa is the largest predator on Madagascar. tree →

Note

Pronounced «FOSS-uh». Not related to «fossil», though both come from Latin «fodere», to dig.