petro-, petr-, petri-, peter-

1. A proper word for a male: George and Sally named their son Peter.

There are three Peters, or boys with that name, in Mr. Smith's biology class.

2. Etymology: from Greek Petros and Latin Petrus, literally "stone, rock"

1. A female form of the name Peter.
2. Etymology: identical with Latin petra, "stone".

To destroy ancient stone buildings or monuments: Television news have been showing terrorists in some middle eastern countries who are petracidig ancient relics.

1. The scent that comes up from a pavement, or dry earth, after rain has started to fall: The pleasant odor of petrichor often results after a long period of warm, dry weather.

It is believed that the oils from the rocks come from vegetation during dry periods and so the petrichors are adsorbed on the surfaces of stones and soil particles which are then spread into the air by the next rain.

2. Etymology: from Greek petro," stone, rocks" + ichor, "fluid that flows like blood in the veins of the gods."

Bivalve mollusks that live in holes that they excavate in rocks, clay, or mud: These bilaterally symmetrical petricolas are animals that exist in marine, freshwater, and terrestrial habitats.

Various regions have their characteristic species of petricola, where some crawl and others leap, but the seashore is known to offer the greatest variety of petricolas.

To grow within rocky areas: The world's great seabird colonies, which crowd the precipitous cliffs and boulder-strewn edges of rocky shores, petricole in such areas because of the availability of suitable nesting sites and the abundant supply of fish in nearby waters.

Relating to certain species of aquatic animals and plants that live in areas of rock formations near lakes, oceans, etc.: At the water's edge, every stony ledge and every cranny or hole has it contingent of petricoline birds that are taking turns bringing home quantities of small fish to feed their ravenous chicks.

Each petricoline colony of seabirds produce noises that are raucous or piercing; such as, caw, kik-kik-kik, growl, or snarl and the gannets, the largest birds cut the air in their stupendous, straight-down dives.

Referring to organisms that live in the surface film of water that is on rocks: Alpine plants have a petricolous way of growing in rock fissures and crevices, since they are not able to thrive normally in the ground.

1. A process of fossilization in which dissolved minerals replace organic matter: Petrifaction results when an organism is quickly buried in mud, sand, or volcanic ash and becomes a fossil.

During the process of petrifaction, dissolved minerals enter openings in bones and other hard parts of organisms little by little until the materials that the objects were composed of have become like stone.

There are those who say that even microscopic cells can be preserved by petrifaction.

2. A condition in which someone is being stunned or paralyzed with fear: Not only was it pitch black in Sara's house, but hearing footsteps and heavy breathing threw her completely into petrifaction, making it impossible for her to move.

1: Pertaining to the procedure of turning organic matter into stone: Wood, which has gone through a petrifactive transaction, contains large amounts of minerals from the groundwater and requires about 10,000 years to take place.
2: Descriptive of the potential of changing a substance into a rock: Fossils have gone through petrifactive processes and are quite similar to the original species, except that the pores or open spaces are completely filled with minerals.

1. Relating to living substances which can be changed into a mineralized form: All organic matter is petrifiable in that it can be transformed into stone when the conditions for such a change exist.
2. Concerning something which can be made rigid or inert: Such stones as diamonds are not petrifiable, but a tree, as a living organism, is petrifiable.
3. Characteristic of someone who can be benumbed or paralyzed: As Sam was walking home late at night, someone suddenly appeared from around the corner of a building causing him to be more petrifiable then he would have been if he had seen the other person coming from a distance.

Referring to something which or someone who has been made callous or obdurate; stupefied or paralysed: With all of the tragic experiences she has gone through, it is no wonder that Mary is now quite petrificant in that she is not open to her friends or flexible in her manners.

1. A process of fossilization during which dissolved inorganic material replaces the original organic contents: A petrification produces a stony substance that results in what appears to be something as hard as a rock.

Since the petrification of a snail that she found was complete and perfect, Sharon decided to save it and put it into her collection of other fossils.

2. A condition of utmost fear, causing a person to be unable to move: Jane was in a state of petrification and completely devastated after receiving the news of the tragic accident in which her father was killed.
3. The process of fossilization: Petrification is a geological process of preservation that turns organic material into a rock and usually takes millions of years to accomplish.

1. A description of something that has slowly changed into stone after a long time: There is a national park in eastern Arizona, U.S.A., that has petrified trees dating from the Triassic Period which is estimated as existing from 230 million to 190 million years ago.
2. A reference to being very afraid of something or someone and unable to move or to respond: Jack was petrified while he was walking on a sidewalk next to a hedge, because a dog suddenly started to bark at him from the other side.

The hard fibrous substance that exists under the bark of trees: Petrified wood is the result of fossilization that preserves various pieces of timber as a rock or as pieces of stones.