Fossate

/ˈfɒseɪt/ adjective

Definition

Having ditches, trenches, or furrows; marked with channels or grooves resembling fossae.

Etymology

From Latin fossatus, past participle of fossare 'to dig,' with the -ate suffix indicating a state or condition of having something.

Kelly Says

Tree bark that's fossate—deeply furrowed and grooved—actually provides tiny shelters for insects and lichens, turning a single tree into an apartment complex for thousands of tiny creatures!

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