Petrie

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A surname borne by a famous British archaeologist who pioneered systematic scientific excavation and dating methods in Egypt
2. A family name associated with a renowned nineteenth and twentieth century British archaeologist who worked extensively in Egypt
3. The surname of an influential British Egyptologist known for introducing rigorous, methodical techniques to archaeological excavation

Etymology: Petrie is a surname, and its origin lies in a Scots diminutive of two saints' names. Scots speakers formed pet forms of Peter and Patrick, and these shortened pet forms became family names in their own right, so the surname carries the same root as both given names. The best-known bearer is Sir William Matthew Flinders Petrie, the British archaeologist whose excavations in Egypt in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries set new standards for careful recording of finds. His name is the reason the surname is familiar to most readers today, though the name itself predates him and belonged to Scottish families long before he was born.