petrifaction

American  

[pe-truh-fak-shuhn] / ˌpɛ trəˈfæk ʃən /

Also petrification

noun

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

2. something petrified.

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petrifaction British  

/ ˌpɛtrɪfɪˈkeɪʃən, ˌpɛtrɪˈfækʃən /

noun

1. the act or process of forming petrified organic material

2. the state of being petrified

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petrifaction Scientific  

/ pĕt′rə-făk′shən /

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.

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Other Word Forms

• petrifactive adjective

Etymology

Origin of petrifaction

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

Explanation

Petrifaction is when a plant or animal gradually turns into stone. Petrified wood, wood that's been fossilized over time, is one example of petrifaction. If you study geology, you'll come across the term petrifaction, which can also be called petrification. When an organism goes through petrifaction, its original structure is slowly replaced by minerals, until it's entirely made of stone. Many fossils are the result of petrifaction. This French word comes from the Middle French pétrifier, "to make or become stone," from its Latin root words, petra, "rock or crag," and ficare, "make or become."

Example Sentences

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.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 3, 2016

The petrifaction of religious language has happened over and over – Catholic Latin, Orthodox Slavonic.

From The Guardian • Mar. 1, 2011

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

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I: The Pox Party" by M.T. Anderson

The sand-stone alluded to above, is in the intermediate state between clay and stone, in which the process of petrifaction is still in progress.

From The South-West By a Yankee. In Two Volumes. Volume 2 by Ingraham, Jonathon Holt

So perfect is the petrifaction in many cases, that the most minute structures have been entirely preserved—the original matter having been replaced atom by atom.

From Geology by Geikie, James

Related Words

• coma
• rapture
• reverie
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