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

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Zuni still return, making pilgrimages to the region to affirm what their oral history tells them, reading petroglyphs – images carved into the rock by their ancestors – that match those at their present-day home of Zuni Pueblo in New Mexico. — Kerri J. Malloy, The Conversation, 23 July 2026 After settling in, hike to the nearby Havtsgait Valley, where Bronze Age petroglyphs offer a glimpse into the lives of people who inhabited this landscape thousands of years ago. — Undraa Buyannemekh, Travel + Leisure, 22 July 2026 Both sites are considered sacred by Native Americans, marked by cliff dwellings, petroglyphs and scenic canyons, as well as by burial sites and ancestral villages. — News Desk, Artforum, 14 July 2026 Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments in southern Utah have ancient cliff dwellings, petroglyphs and scenic canyons, as well as coal and uranium deposits that state officials want made available for development. — ABC News, 13 July 2026 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

Rhymes for petroglyph

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Browse Nearby Words

petrogeny
petroglyph
petroglyphic
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Cite this Entry

“Petroglyph.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/petroglyph. Accessed 31 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on petroglyph

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about petroglyph

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