Fossil word
Broadly obsolete words that remain in idiomatic use / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A fossil word is a word that is broadly obsolete but remains in current use due to its presence within an idiom or phrase.[1][2] An example for a word sense is 'ado' in 'much ado'. An example for a phrase is 'in point' (relevant), which is retained in the larger phrases 'case in point' (also 'case on point' in the legal context) and 'in point of fact', but is rarely used outside of a legal context.
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