petri
UK[ˈpɛtri]US[ˈpɛtri]
n
A shallow, circular, flat-bottomed dish with a loose-fitting cover, used especially in laboratories for culturing microorganisms.
Etymology
The word 'petri' is a shortening of 'Petri dish', named after the German bacteriologist Julius Richard Petri (1852–1921), who invented it in 1887. It is a classic example of an eponym, where a common noun is formed from a person's name to denote their invention or discovery. The term entered the scientific lexicon and subsequently general English usage as a standalone noun, shedding its original full compound form. Its logic is purely historical and referential, commemorating the inventor rather than being built from classical roots with inherent meaning.
Analysis
This is a simplex word, a modern eponym derived from a proper name. It does not contain separable, productive morphemes in its current English form.
Examples
The scientist carefully placed the agar plate inside the sterile petri dish.
Bacterial colonies grew rapidly in the incubated petri.
For the experiment, we need to prepare dozens of petri dishes with different nutrient media.