The process of turning into or becoming chalk-like in substance, appearance, or texture; the geological or chemical transformation resulting in cretaceous material.
From Latin creta (chalk) combined with the suffix -faction (from facere, meaning 'to make' or 'to do'), following the pattern of words like putrefaction and liquefaction.
While this is a rare technical term, it follows the same pattern as petrification (turning to stone) and liquefaction (turning to liquid), showing how Latin's gift for building descriptive words survives in modern geology.
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