petrification
petrification Lexical Profile
petrification Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The geological process by which organic matter exposed to minerals over a long period is converted into a stony substance, or a fossil formed in this way.
"The national park is famous for the petrification of ancient fallen trees into vibrant quartz and jasper."
A state of extreme fear, shock, or astonishment that renders a person unable to move, speak, or think.
"A sudden sense of petrification gripped the hikers when they spotted the grizzly bear on the trail ahead."
The process of becoming rigid, stagnant, or incapable of change, development, or vitality (as of ideas, institutions, or societies).
"Historians attributed the empire's decline to the bureaucratic petrification of its governing institutions."
Word Nuance & Usage
'Petrification' and 'petrifaction' are largely interchangeable in geology, though 'petrification' is more common when referring figuratively to emotional paralysis or social stagnation.
• Rhymes for petrification
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the late 16th century from Middle French pétrification, formed from Latin petra ('rock, crag', from Ancient Greek pétra) and the suffix -fication ('process of making').