petrous

P3E1T1R1O1U1S1

adjective

Resembling rock or stone in its hardness.

Similar
stonelikehard
OriginMiddle French petreux ← Latin petrōsus ← Ancient Greek πέτρα →
RareScrabble 9
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Meanings

adjectivepetrous (not comparable)
  1. not comparableResembling rock or stone in its hardness.
  2. not comparableanatomyOf the dense portion of the temporal bone that protects the inner ear.

Synonyms & antonyms

adjective(of bone especially the temporal bone) resembling stone in hardness

Similar
stonelikehard
Also see
stonelike

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekπέτρα
  2. Latinpetrōsus
  3. Middle Frenchpetreux
  4. Englishpetrous

From Middle English, borrowed from Middle French petreux, from Latin petrōsus, from petra, from Ancient Greek πέτρα (pétra).

More words from Middle French, Latin, Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian на слепоочието
  • на слепоочието (na slepoočieto)anatomy: of the dense portion of the temporal bone
Polish twardy
  • twardyanatomy: of the dense portion of the temporal bone
Spanish petroso
  • petrosoanatomy: of the dense portion of the temporal bone

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

postureproteusPorteusStroupeProetusseptuorspouterSputore
Cite this entry
APA

petrous. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/petrous

MLA

“petrous.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/petrous. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “petrous,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/petrous.

Source: petrous on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.