ˌpe.trəˈfakshən noun
( -s )
Etymology: from petrify, after such pairs as English satisfy : satisfaction
1. : the process of petrifying ; specifically : the conversion of organic matter into stone or a substance of stony hardness through the infiltration of water containing dissolved mineral matter (as calcium, carbonate, silica) that replaces the organic material particle by particle with the original structure sometimes retained — compare cast
2. : something that is petrified ; specifically : an organic body infiltrated with mineral matter and preserving more or less clearly its original form or structure — compare fossil
3. : the quality or state of being petrified
a petrifaction … of the artist's soul — G.E.Woodberry