petrology

[ pi-trol-uh-jee ]

noun

1. the scientific study of rocks, including petrography and petrogenesis.

petrology

/ ˌpɛtrəˈlɒdʒɪkəl; pɛˈtrɒlədʒɪ /

noun

1. the study of the composition, origin, structure, and formation of rocks petrol

petrology

/ pə-trŏl′ə-jē /

1. The scientific study of the origin, composition, and structure of rocks.

Derived Forms

• petrological, adjective
• ˌpetroˈlogically, adverb
• peˈtrologist, noun

Other Words From

• pet·ro·log·ic [pe-tr, uh, -, loj, -ik], petro·logi·cal adjective
• petro·logi·cal·ly adverb
• pe·trolo·gist noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of petrology¹

First recorded in 1805–15; petro- ¹ + -logy

Example Sentences

“But the petrology is interesting and special regardless,” she says.

From Science Magazine

The mining, the petrology, the archaeology — the artistically gifted, straight-F student, trying to live up to his brilliant, academic, domineering father.

From Seattle Times

It “taught us about hot spot volcanism, about volcano seismology, geodesy, petrology, volcanic structure, hazard mitigation, gas geochemistry, and magmatic plumbing.”

From Washington Post

Chemists get in on the mystery, petrology is born, and the true secret behind melted earth is discovered.

From Scientific American

Metamorphic petrology is no easy material for popular science.

From Nature