---
title: fossil — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «fossil» in the school dictionary: A fossil is the remains or shape of a plant or animal from very long ago, kept in rock. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/fossil/)

<!-- crumbs -->
[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/) / [school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/) / [F](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/) / fossil

# fossil

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** fossil, Fossil fuels, old fossil, We, Fossils, dinosaurs · **What happens:** be, keep, make, joke, find, tell · **To what, where:** remains, rock, coal oil, ancient living things, joking name, fossil · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«fossil» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 7 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [fossil in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/fossil.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A fossil is the remains or shape of a plant or animal from very long ago, kept in rock.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:fossil:m1:1
# text = A fossil is the remains or shape of a plant or animal from very long ago, kept in rock.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	fossil	fossil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	remains	remains	NOUN	NNS	Number=Ptan	0	root	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	shape	shape	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	plant	plant	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	_
11	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
12	animal	animal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	conj	_	_
13	from	from	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
14	very	very	ADV	RB	_	15	advmod	_	_
15	long	long	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	16	advmod	_	_
16	ago	ago	ADV	RB	_	12	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
18	kept	keep	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	acl	_	_
19	in	in	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
20	rock	rock	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a fossil | the remains or shape of a plant or animal |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **keep** | participle |  | the remains or shape of a plant or animal *not said here* |  | rock |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent in rock=Location |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Fossil fuels are coal, oil and gas, made from ancient living things.

<!-- fold The tree, 12 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:fossil:m2:1
# text = Fossil fuels are coal, oil and gas, made from ancient living things.
1	Fossil	fossil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	compound	_	_
2	fuels	fuel	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
3	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	coal	coal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
6	oil	oil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	gas	gas	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
10	made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	acl	_	_
11	from	from	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
12	ancient	ancient	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
13	living	living	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Fossil fuels | coal oil and gas |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **make** | participle |  | coal oil and gas *not said here* |  | ancient living things |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V PP»: agent=Asset from thing=Material |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Informally, an old fossil is a joking name for an old-fashioned person.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:fossil:m3:1
# text = Informally, an old fossil is a joking name for an old-fashioned person.
1	Informally	informally	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	fossil	fossil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	joking	joke	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	9	amod	_	_
9	name	name	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
10	for	for	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
11	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
12	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	fashioned	fashioned	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
15	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **joke** *speech: other* | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn chit\_chat-37.6 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is a** | present | a old fossil | a joking name |  |  |  | for a fashioned person; informally *property* | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We found a fossil of a shell on the beach.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:fossil:x1:1
# text = We found a fossil of a shell on the beach.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	found	find	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	fossil	fossil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	shell	shell	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
8	on	on	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	beach	beach	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **find** | past | We | a fossil of a shell on the beach |  |  |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent fossil=Topic |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Fossils tell us what dinosaurs looked like.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:fossil:x2:1
# text = Fossils tell us what dinosaurs looked like.
1	Fossils	fossil	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	tell	tell	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	iobj	_	_
4	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	6	obj	_	_
5	dinosaurs	dinosaur	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
6	looked	look	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	ccomp	_	_
7	like	like	ADP	RP	_	6	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tell** *speech: assert* | present | Fossils |  | us |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP what S»: agent=Agent we=Recipient clause=Topic |
| 2 | **look like** | past | dinosaurs |  |  |  |  |  | vn seem-109-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme what=Attribute |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Mary Anning was a famous fossil hunter.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:fossil:x3:1
# text = Mary Anning was a famous fossil hunter.
1	Mary	Mary	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
2	Anning	Anning	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	1	flat	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
5	famous	famous	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
6	fossil	fossil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	hunter	hunter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | Mary | a famous fossil hunter |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Coal and oil are fossil fuels.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:fossil:x4:1
# text = Coal and oil are fossil fuels.
1	Coal	coal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
2	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	3	cc	_	_
3	oil	oil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	conj	_	_
4	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	fossil	fossil	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	fuels	fuel	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Coal and oil | fossil fuels |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The museum has a fossil of a huge fish.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:fossil:x5:1
# text = The museum has a fossil of a huge fish.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	museum	museum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	fossil	fossil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	huge	huge	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	fish	fish	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | the museum | a fossil of a huge fish |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent fossil=Patient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Fossils form very slowly over millions of years.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:fossil:x6:1
# text = Fossils form very slowly over millions of years.
1	Fossils	fossil	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	form	form	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	very	very	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	slowly	slowly	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
5	over	over	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	millions	million	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	years	year	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **form** | present | Fossils |  |  | millions of years |  | slowly *property* | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme over million=Location |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Footprints can also become fossils.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:fossil:x7:1
# text = Footprints can also become fossils.
1	Footprints	footprint	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
2	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	also	also	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	become	become	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	fossils	fossil	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **become** | can | Footprints | fossils |  |  |  |  | vn become-109.1-1-1 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Patient |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

<!-- pn -->
- ← previous: [fossa](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/fossa/)
- next →: [fossilisation](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/fossilisation/)
- ↑ back to [F in school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/)