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foss

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FOSS¹

  • /fɒs/

Rhymes with -ɒs

noun

  1. abbreviation, initialism, uncountable Initialism of Free and Open Source Software

foss²

  • /fɑs/ US
  • /fɔs/ US
  • /fɒs/ UK

Where it comes from

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

noun fosses

  1. alternative Alternative spelling of fosse

foss³

  • /fɔs/ US

Where it comes from

From Icelandic or Norwegian foss, both from Old Norse fors (“waterfall”). Doublet of force (“waterfall”).

noun fosses

  1. Northern England A waterfall. Another of his flock was spotted garrotted, one found twisted and drowned at the bottom of a foss and a third split cleanly from scut to teeth.

Foss⁴

Where it comes from

Meaning "fox". From Old Saxon fohs, fuhs, from Proto-West Germanic *fuhs, from Proto-Germanic *fuhsaz.

proper noun

  1. A surname.
  2. A town in Washita County, Oklahoma.
  3. An unincorporated community in Tillamook County, Oregon, United States.
  4. A minor river in North Yorkshire, England, that joins the Ouse in York.

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MLA

"foss." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/foss. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

foss. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/foss

Chicago

"foss." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/foss.

BibTeX
@misc{foss_2026,
  title = {foss},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/foss},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}