/ Dictionary / Index P petrify: Meaning and Definition of Find definitions for: pet•ri•fy Pronunciation: (pe'tru-fī"), [key] — v., -fied, -fy•ing. —v.t. to convert into stone or a stony substance. to benumb or paralyze with astonishment, horror, or other strong emotion: I was petrified with fear. to make rigid or inert; harden; deaden: The tragedy in his life petrified his emotions. —v.i. to become petrified. Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease. See also: petrify (Thesaurus) Petrified Forest National Park Petrillo Related Content Daily Word Quiz: pundit Analogy of the Day: Today’s Analogy Spelling Bee: Today’s Spelling Bee Frequently Misspelled Words Frequently Mispronounced Words Easily Confused Words Writing & Language