petrification

Everyday

1. (science) The process by which a dead plant or animal slowly turns into stone over a very long time, as minerals replace it: petrified wood. tree →
2. Being so frightened that you cannot move (usually "petrified"). tree →

In the lessons

In science lessons on fossils and rocks, petrification turns wood into stone, as in the Petrified Forest in Arizona. In stories, a monster like Medusa causes petrification, turning people to stone. In everyday talk, "I was petrified" means very scared.

Examples

• Petrification turned the ancient tree into stone. tree →
• The fossil shows petrification of the bones. tree →
• Petrification takes millions of years. tree →
• In the myth, Medusa's stare caused petrification. tree →
• We saw petrified wood that looked like a log but was stone. tree →
• Minerals in water cause petrification. tree →

Note

Uncountable. Verb: petrify; adjective: petrified (turned to stone, or very scared). Spelled petrification, not "petrifaction" (an older variant is "petrifaction", also correct).