fossa

Etymology 1

Unadapted borrowing from Latin fossa (“a ditch, trench, fosse”). Doublet of fosse.

noun

1. (anatomy) A pit, groove, cavity, or depression.
2. (astronomy) A long, narrow, shallow depression on the body of an extraterrestrial body, such as a planet or moon.

Etymology 2

Borrowing from Malagasy fosa which likely once referred to the Malayan weasel (Mustela nudipes) prior to a semantic shift, thus cognate with Malay pusak and Tagalog pusa both meaning "cat".

noun

1. A large nocturnal reddish-brown catlike mammal (Cryptoprocta ferox) of the civet family, endemic to the rainforests of Madagascar. It is slender, long-tailed and has retractile claws and anal scent glands.