Fossiilisiin

Fossiilisiin is a Finnish grammatical form, not a standalone word with a fixed meaning. It is the illative plural form of the adjective fossiilinen, which means fossil. In Finnish, adjectives agree with the nouns they modify in number and case, so when the noun is plural and in the illative case (expressing movement toward or into something), the adjective takes the ending -isiin. Thus fossiilisiin signals “into fossils” or “to fossil-related [things],” in plural contexts.

Fossiilisiin is commonly found in scientific, museum, and educational Finnish, where researchers discuss fossil remains, fossil deposits, or fossil-related subjects at a plural illative level. For example, phrases might appear as fossiilisiin jäännöksiin or fossiilisiin kerrostumiin, indicating study or movement toward fossil remains or layers.

Etymology and morphology: The base adjective fossiilinen derives from fossiili, itself borrowed from Latin fossilis via other European languages. The illative plural form fossiilisiin reflects Finnish stem harmony and the standard illative plural ending for adjectives ending in -inen.

Usage notes: Fossiilisiin is specifically a grammatical form, used only when the modified noun is plural and in the illative case. It is not a separate lexical item, but a produced form within correct morphological patterns of Finnish.

See also: Finnish grammar, illative case, adjective declension, fossiili (fossil), fossil fuels in Finnish (fossiiliset polttoaineet).