petrifaction

Also pet·ri·fi·ca·tion

[pe-truh-fak-shuhn]

noun

1. the act or process of petrifying; the state of being petrified.

2. something petrified.

petrifaction

/ ˌpɛtrɪfɪˈkeɪʃən, ˌpɛtrɪˈfækʃən /

noun

1. the act or process of forming petrified organic material

2. the state of being petrified

petrifaction

1. The process by which organic materials are turned into rock. Petrifaction occurs when water that is rich with inorganic minerals, such as calcium carbonate or silica, passes slowly through organic matter, such as wood or bone, replacing its cellular structure with minerals.

Other Word Forms

• petrifactive adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of petrifaction¹

1640–50; petri- + -faction < Latin factiōn- (stem of factiō ) a making. See petrify, faction ¹

Example Sentences

On Liberalism and Conservatism: Both “can be equally repellent: if the former can mean chaos, the latter can mean petrifaction.”

Read more on Washington Post

For another video, Weitz dipped her own hand in porcelain slip and let it dry, creating a crackling petrifaction effect on her skin; her dusty, chalky-looking body then appeared a decaying sculpture itself.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Most were philosophers, and inquired into the workings of time and memory, natural history, the properties of light, heat, and petrifaction.

Read more on Literature

He observed also other striking similarities between petrifactions and living organisms.

Read more on Scientific American

The odor of sanctity and the form of sound words are no nearer the living spirit than are those petrifactions which present an outline of men, but never again pulsate with life.

Read more on Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• coma 
• rapture 
• reverie 
• stupor 
• unconsciousness