# petrification

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˌpɛtɹɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/

## Definitions
1. 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. obduracy; callousness.
3. Sheer terror; great fright.

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

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/petrification