petrous
- adjective
- /ˈpɛtrəs/
- Specialized
:
petroso
- The petrous temporal bone is one of the hardest structures in the human skull.
- petrous bone
- petrous temporal
- petrous apex
Examples
-
Erosion of the petrous bone and coalescence of mastoid air cells were present.
Academic text (2005) -
The fractures of the petrous bone were further divided into fractures of the labyrinth and extralabyrinthine fractures.
Academic text (1998) -
We present the third case in which, to our knowledge, there was no invasion of the petrous temporal bone.
Academic text (2008) -
Both in our case and two others reported, there was no involvement of the petrous temporal bone at all.
Academic text (2008) -
Only minimal intracranial extension just anterior to the petrous temporal bone was seen.
Academic text (2005) -
Patients with a rhabdomyosarcoma that has spread predominantly to the petrous portion of the temporal bone present in different ways clinically.
Academic text (2007) -
A bony defect in the base of the left petrous bone was also identified, and a soft-tissue density filled the middle ear cavity.
Academic text (2005) -
There may be erosion of the mastoid or petrous bone, destruction of ossicles, or VII cranial nerve involvement.
Academic text (2005) -
Imaging revealed no evidence of petrous temporal bone apex involvement, nor did genetic studies demonstrate the von Hippel-Lindau mutation.
Academic text (2008) -
In all of the previously reported cases except 2, there was extensive invasion of the apical portion of the petrous temporal bone, demonstrated as lytic lesions by CT.
Academic text (2008)
Synonyms
1
3.9
Very hard and not easy to break
1
7.7
Very strong and not easily broken or changed
Very hard and like stone in look or feel
Antonyms
How Hard
Surface Forms
Morphology
petrous = petro (opaque) = petr + ous
Although formed from a root meaning 'stone' plus '-ous', the root is a technical combining form unfamiliar to general learners and the sense is specialized (anatomical), so the meaning is not derivable for an average B1 learner.
Etymology
Petrous comes from the Greek root petra, which means 'rock' or 'stone' and is the same root you see in the name Peter and in petrify. So petrous means 'rock-like', which is why we use it for a bone that is very hard and like stone.