metamorphosis
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met·a·mor·pho·sis
(mĕt′ə-môr′fə-sĭs)n. pl. met·a·mor·pho·ses (-sēz′)
1. A transformation, as by magic or sorcery.
2. A marked change in appearance, character, condition, or function.
3. Biology Change in the form and often habits of an animal during normal development after the embryonic stage. Metamorphosis includes, in insects, the transformation of a maggot into an adult fly and a caterpillar into a butterfly and, in amphibians, the changing of a tadpole into a frog.
4. A usually degenerative change in the structure of a particular body tissue.
[Latin metamorphōsis, from Greek, from metamorphoun, to transform : meta-, meta- + morphē, form.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
metamorphosis
(ˌmɛtəˈmɔːfəsɪs)n, pl -ses (-ˌsiːz)
1. a complete change of physical form or substance
2. a complete change of character, appearance, etc
3. a person or thing that has undergone metamorphosis
4. (Zoology) zoology the rapid transformation of a larva into an adult that occurs in certain animals, for example the stage between tadpole and frog or between chrysalis and butterfly
[C16: via Latin from Greek: transformation, from meta- + morphē form]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
met•a•mor•pho•sis
(ˌmɛt əˈmɔr fə sɪs)n., pl. -ses (-ˌsiz)
1. a profound change in form from stage to the next in the life history of an organism, as from the pupa to the adult butterfly.
2. a complete change of form, structure, or substance, as transformation by magic.
3. any complete change in appearance, character, circumstances, etc.
4.
a. a type of alteration or degeneration in which tissues are changed.
b. the resultant form.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
development of a monarch butterfly from egg to larva (caterpillar) to pupa (cocoon) to imago (adult)
met·a·mor·pho·sis
(mĕt′ə-môr′fə-sĭs) Dramatic change in the form and often the habits of an animal during its development after birth or hatching. The transformation of a maggot into an adult fly, and of a tadpole into an adult frog, are examples of metamorphosis. The young of such animals are called larvae.
The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
metamorphosis
1. change in form, structure, appearance, etc.
2. magical transformation. — metamorphic, metamorphous, adj.
See also: Change, Magic2. magical transformation. — metamorphic, metamorphous, adj.
a change or succession of changes in form during the life cycle of an animal, allowing it to adapt to different environmental conditions, as a caterpillar into a butterfly.
See also: Zoology-Ologies & -Isms. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
metamorphosis
Change in the form of certain organisms between the juvenile and adult stages, e.g. tadpole and frog.
Dictionary of Unfamiliar Words by Diagram Group Copyright © 2008 by Diagram Visual Information Limited
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
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| Noun | 1. |  metamorphosis - the marked and rapid transformation of a larva into an adult that occurs in some animalsheterometabolism, heterometaboly - development of insects with incomplete metamorphosis in which no pupal stage precedes maturity holometabolism, holometaboly - complete metamorphosis in insects biological process, organic process - a process occurring in living organisms |
| 2. | metamorphosis - a striking change in appearance or character or circumstances; "the metamorphosis of the old house into something new and exciting" revision, alteration - the act of revising or altering (involving reconsideration and modification); "it would require a drastic revision of his opinion" | |
| 3. |  metamorphosis - a complete change of physical form or substance especially as by magic or witchcrafttranslation, transformation - the act of changing in form or shape or appearance; "a photograph is a translation of a scene onto a two-dimensional surface" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
metamorphosis
noun transformation, conversion, alteration, change, mutation, rebirth, changeover, transfiguration, transmutation, transubstantiation, transmogrification (jocular) his metamorphosis from a republican to a democrat
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
metamorphosis
nounThe process or result of changing from one appearance, state, or phase to another:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
تَحَوُّل، مَسْخ
proměna
forvandling
muodonmuutos
metamorfoza
metamorfózis
umbreyting; hamskipti
metamorfozė
metamorfoze
başkalaşımmetamorfoz
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
metamorphosis
n pl <metamorphoses> → Metamorphose f; (fig) → Verwandlung f
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
metamorphosis
(metəˈmoːfəsis) – plural ˌmetaˈmorphoses (-siːz) – noun (a) marked change of form, appearance, character etc. a caterpillar's metamorphosis into a butterfly.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
met·a·mor·pho·sis
n. metamorfosis.
1. cambio de forma o estructura;
2. cambio degenerativo patológico.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012