petrous

[pe-truh s, pee-] /ˈpɛ trəs, ˈpi-/
adjective
1.
Anatomy. noting or pertaining to the hard dense portion of the temporal bone, containing the internal auditory organs; petrosal.
2.
like stone, especially in hardness; stony; rocky.
Origin
1350-1400; Middle English (< Middle French petros) < Latin petrōsus rocky. See petr-, -ous
Related forms
superpetrous, adjective
British Dictionary definitions for petrous

petrous

/ˈpɛtrəs; ˈpiː-/
adjective
1.
(anatomy) denoting the dense part of the temporal bone that surrounds the inner ear
2.
(rare) like rock or stone
Word Origin
C16: from Latin petrōsus full of rocks
Word Origin and History for petrous
adj.

1540s, from Middle French petreux, from Latin petrosus "stony," from petra "rock," from Greek petra "rock, cliff, ledge, shelf of rock, rocky ridge," of uncertain origin. Possibly from PIE root *per- "to lead, pass over," if the original meaning is "bedrock" and the notion is "what one comes through to" [Watkins].

petrous in Medicine

petrous pet·rous (pět'rəs)
adj.

  1. Of stony hardness.

  2. Of or relating to the dense hard portion of the temporal bone that forms a protective case for the inner ear.