Fossil word
Encyclopedia
A fossil word is an obsolete word
which remains in currency because it is contained within an idiom
still in use.
It can also occur for phrases, such as in point ('relevant'), which is retained in the larger phrases case in point and in point of fact, but is not otherwise used outside of a legal context.
Word
In language, a word is the smallest free form that may be uttered in isolation with semantic or pragmatic content . This contrasts with a morpheme, which is the smallest unit of meaning but will not necessarily stand on its own...
which remains in currency because it is contained within an idiom
Idiom
Idiom is an expression, word, or phrase that has a figurative meaning that is comprehended in regard to a common use of that expression that is separate from the literal meaning or definition of the words of which it is made...
still in use.
It can also occur for phrases, such as in point ('relevant'), which is retained in the larger phrases case in point and in point of fact, but is not otherwise used outside of a legal context.
English language examples
- Ulterior, as in "ulterior motives"
- Fro, as in "to and fro"
- Sleight, as in "sleight of hand"
- Yore, as in "days of yore"
- Coign, as in "coign of vantage"
- Deserts, as in "just deserts"
- Fettle, as in "in fine fettle"
- Kith, as in "kith and kin"
- Spick, as in "spick and span"
- Loggerheads as in "at loggerheads" or loggerhead turtle
- Offing, as in "in the offing"
- Shrift, as in "short shrift"
- Amok, as in "run amok"
- Eke, as in "eke out"
- Ken, as in "beyond one's ken"
See also
- Bound morphemeBound morphemeIn morphology, a bound morpheme is a morpheme that only appears as part of a larger word; a free morpheme is one that can stand alone.Affixes are always bound. English language affixes are either prefixes or suffixes. E.g., -ment in "shipment" and pre- in "prefix"...
- CollocationCollocationIn corpus linguistics, collocation defines a sequence of words or terms that co-occur more often than would be expected by chance. In phraseology, collocation is a sub-type of phraseme. An example of a phraseological collocation is the expression strong tea...
— tendency of one word to occur near another - Cranberry morphemeCranberry morphemeIn linguistic morphology, a cranberry morpheme is a type of bound morpheme that cannot be assigned a meaning or a grammatical function but nonetheless serves to distinguish one word from the other.-Etymology:...
— morpheme which has no independent meaning in a lexeme - Fossilization (linguistics)Fossilization (linguistics)In linguistic morphology, fossilization refers to two close notions. One is preserving of ancient linguistic features which have lost their grammatical functions in language. Another is loss of productivity of a grammatical paradigm , which still remains in use in some words. Examples of...