释义 |
petrous, a.|ˈpɛtrəs| [f. L. petrōs-us stony, rocky: cf. F. pétreux, -euse (15th c. in Godef.).] 1. Of the nature of, or as hard as, stone or rock; stony, rocky: in Anat. spec. applied to a part of the temporal bone (in some animals a separate bone), remarkable for its density and hardness, and forming a protective case for the internal ear or labyrinth; med. L. os petrosum, F. os pétreux (Paré); also = petrosal.
[c1400Lanfranc's Cirurg. 110 Þese boonys..ben ful hard þere as þe hole of þe eere passiþ þoruȝ, & þei ben clepid petrosa.] 1541R. Copland Guydon's Quest. Chirurg. D iv b, The .v. and the .vj. be y⊇ bones [of the head] that are called Petrous, for they are harde as a stone. 1657Physical Dict., Petrous, rocky. 1741Munro Anat. Bones (ed. 3) 100 The inferior petrous Part is thick. 1800Sir A. Cooper in Phil. Trans. XC. 154 The probe struck against the petrous portion of the temporal bone. 1869Huxley Phys. viii. 228 The bony labyrinth, as this collection of cavities in the petrous bone is termed, is perfectly closed. absol.1899Allbutt's Syst. Med. VII. 596 Small abscess size of Barcelona nut found in petrous. 2. ? Pertaining to rock or stone; ? petrifying.
a1851Moir Miner of Peru Poet. Wks. 1852 II. 172 By death unchanged So strong had been the power preservative, Mineral or petrous, of the charmed flood. |