metamorphism

Meaning

1. (countable, uncountable) The process by which rocks are changed into other forms by the application of heat and/or pressure.
2. (countable, uncountable) The process by which insects develop through life stages, for example, those of embryo, larva, pupa and imago. The life cycle of the butterfly is one of complete metamorphosis, in which the embryo grows within the egg, hatches into the larval stage caterpillar, enters the pupal stage within its chrysalis, and finally emerges as an adult butterfly imago.
3. (broadly, countable, uncountable) Any dramatic change from one thing to another

Synonyms

change

debasement

deteriorate

deterioration

go bad

metamorphosis

transfiguration

transformation

transmogrification

Translations

métamorphisme

metamorfisme

Metamorphismus

metamorfismo

metamorfismo

μεταβολή ορυκτών

تحوّل

Metamorfismo

μεταμόρφωση

Pronounced as (IPA)

/mɛtəˈmɔːfɪz(ə)m/

Etymology

From metamorphosis + -ism, after French métamorphisme.