1. the process by which organic remains are converted into fossils through burial and chemical alteration over geological time
Usage: British spelling; American equivalent is 'fossilization'; commonly used in geology and paleontology
2. the state of being preserved as a fossil; the condition of having become a fossil
3. the process of becoming rigid, outdated, or unable to change; stagnation
Usage: figurative use

Examples

• The fossilisation of dinosaur bones took millions of years.
• Paleontologists study fossilisation to understand how organisms are preserved in rock.
• The fossilisation process requires specific conditions such as rapid burial and mineral-rich water.
• The company's resistance to innovation led to the fossilisation of its business practices.
• Without adaptation, institutions risk fossilisation and irrelevance.
• Amber provides an excellent medium for the fossilisation of insects and small organisms.