Petroglyph
/ˈpɛtrəˌɡlɪf/noun
A carving or engraving made on rock, especially prehistoric rock art.
Did you know?Petroglyph comes from Greek roots meaning “stone” and “carve,” and it’s a modern scholarly word for images etched into rock, not a word from the ancient artists themselves.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
pétra
“rock, stone”
Ancient Greek
Greek
glýphō
“I carve, engrave”
19th Century
English
petroglyph
“a rock carving or engraved rock image”
Modern English
English
petroglyph
“a carving or engraving on rock, especially prehistoric rock art”
Explore more surprising origins