petrification
noun/ˌpɛtrɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/
Frequency rank: #19,916 most common English word
Meaning
A state of being so frightened that one cannot move; also, the process of turning organic matter into stone.
Example sentence
The sudden appearance of the ghost caused complete petrification among the villagers.
Synonyms & related words
Practice this word in the quiz
More words in ranks 19,901–20,000
- sandhiA phonological process in which sounds change at the boundary between words or morphemes.
- annelidA member of the phylum Annelida; a worm with a body divided into ring-like segments, such as an earthworm or leech.
- gesticulateto use gestures, especially dramatic ones, instead of speaking or to emphasize what one is saying.
- laharA destructive mudflow or debris flow composed of volcanic material and water flowing down the slopes of a volcano.
- misgivingA feeling of doubt, worry, or distrust about a future event or action.
- polysemyThe coexistence of multiple related meanings within a single word.
- sporangiumA case or capsule in which spores are produced and stored in fungi, algae, mosses, and ferns.
- chromosphereThe layer of the sun's atmosphere situated above the photosphere and below the corona, visible as a reddish glow during a solar eclipse.
- retroflexPronounced with the tip of the tongue curled back toward the hard palate.
- supernaturalismThe belief that events or phenomena exist beyond the natural world and cannot be explained by natural laws alone.