petroglyph

noun

pet·​ro·​glyph ˈpe-trə-ˌglif How to pronounce petroglyph (audio)
: a carving or inscription on a rock

Examples of petroglyph in a Sentence

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Other new inductees include mysterious granite megaliths in Brittany, France, and petroglyphs along the Bangucheon Stream in South Korea. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 July 2025 Yampa and Green River Inside Dinosaur National Monument are two riverways — the Yampa and the Green — that wind through an area of archeological phenomena, fossils, and indigenous rock petroglyphs. Morgan Tilton, Denver Post, 8 June 2025 Hawaiian petroglyphs dating back at least half a millennium are visible for the first time in years, according to The Associated Press (AP). Ashley J. Dimella, FOXNews.com, 25 July 2025 Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona The Petrified Forest National Park is home to over 1,000 archaeological sites, including numerous petroglyphs created by Ancestral Pueblo people over centuries. Emese MacZko, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for petroglyph

Word History

Etymology

petro- + glyph, probably after hieroglyph

First Known Use

1854, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of petroglyph was in 1854

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Cite this Entry

“Petroglyph.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/petroglyph. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.

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