petrific

English

From post-classical Latin petrificus (13th c.), from petra (“rock, stone”).

petrific (comparative more petrific, superlative most petrific)

(now rare) Petrifying, turning into stone; petrifactive. [from 17th c.]
- 1667, John Milton, “Book IX”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], […], OCLC 228722708; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, OCLC 230729554:
  Death with his mace petrific, cold and dry.
- 1782, Frances Burney, Cecilia, III.vi.2:
  “Sir!” cried Mr. Delvile, with a look meant to be nothing less than petrific.

This article is issued from Wiktionary. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.