nannofossilEnglishOxford Dictionary of Englishnannofossil /ˈnanə(ʊ)ˌfɒsl / (also nanofossil) ▸ noun the fossil of a minute planktonic organism, especially a calcareous unicellular alga. – ORIGIN 1960s: from nannoplankton (variant of nanoplankton) + fossil.