Dictionary

petrification en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˌpɛtɹɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/
• audio

Etymology

From French pétrification, from Middle French pétrifier + -ation.

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) Turning to stone: the process of replacement of the organic residues of plants (and animals) with insoluble salts, with the original shape and topography being retained.
2. (countable, figuratively, uncountable) obduracy; callousness.
   • a Petrification or Mortification of the Mind 1681, Henry Hallywell, Melampronoea:
3. (countable, figuratively, uncountable) Sheer terror; great fright.

Forms

Relateds

petrify · petrified wood · vitrification · crystallization · petrified forest

Synonyms

petrifaction

Translations (14)

cy caregiad (process of replacing the organic residues with insoluble salts) · es silicatización (process of replacing the organic residues with insoluble salts) · fr pétrification (process of replacing the organic residues with insoluble salts) · es petrificación (process of replacing the organic residues with insoluble salts) · de Petrifikation (process of replacing the organic residues with insoluble salts) · pt petrificação (process of replacing the organic residues with insoluble salts) · nl verstening (process of replacing the organic residues with insoluble salts) · de Versteinerung (process of replacing the organic residues with insoluble salts) · ca petrificació (process of replacing the organic residues with insoluble salts) · mi whakatokatanga (process of replacing the organic residues with insoluble salts) · oc petrificacion (process of replacing the organic residues with insoluble salts) · it pietrificazione (process of replacing the organic residues with insoluble salts) · pl petryfikacja (process of replacing the organic residues with insoluble salts) · grc πώρωσις (process of replacing the organic residues with insoluble salts)