fossa n 1: a concavity in a surface (especially an anatomical depression) [syn: {pit}, {fossa}] 2: monotypic genus of Madagascar civets closely related to palm civets [syn: {Fossa}, {genus Fossa}] 3: largest carnivore of Madagascar; intermediate in some respects between cats and civets [syn: {fossa}, {fossa cat}, {Cryptoprocta ferox}]
fossa \fos"sa\, n.; pl. {foss[ae]}. [L., a ditch. See {Fosse}.] (Anat.) A pit, groove, cavity, or depression, of greater or less depth; as, the temporal fossa on the side of the skull; the nasal foss[ae] containing the nostrils in most birds. [1913 Webster]
FOSSA, Eng. law. A ditch full of water, where formerly women who had committed a felony were drowned; the grave. Cowel, Int.