1. turns into stone or a stony substance; petrifies
Usage: technical; geology

Examples

• Over millions of years, the organic material lapidifies under intense pressure.
• The mineral-rich water lapidifies the wood, creating beautiful petrified specimens.
• Heat and pressure cause the sediment to lapidify into solid rock.
• The ancient tree slowly lapidifies as minerals replace its cellular structure.
• Volcanic ash lapidifies when exposed to extreme temperatures.
• The process that lapidifies organic matter takes thousands of years.