OK, here it is from the expert (Webster' New World Dictionary, 2nd College
Edition)
fossil n. [Fr. fossile <L. fossilis, dug out, dug up <fossus, pp. of fodere,
to dig up < IE. base *bhedh-, todig in the earth, whence W. bedd, grave, OE.
bedd, BED]  1. originally, any rock or mineral dug out of the earth  2. any
hardened remains or traces of plant or animal life of some previous
geological period, preserved in rock formations in the earth's crust  3.
anything fossilized or like a fossil  4. a person who is old-fashioned or
has outmoded, fixed ideas.
(Yeah, I know part 4 doesn't apply to any of us :-))

John Jacobs
Seffner, Florida
[log in to unmask]