metamorphosis

met·a·mor·pho·sis  (mt-môrf-ss) n. pl. met·a·mor·pho·ses (-sz) 1. A transformation, as by magic or sorcery. 2. A marked change in appearance, character, condition, or function. 3. Biology A 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. Pathology A usually degenerative change in the structure of a particular body tissue. [Latin metamorphsis, from Greek, from metamorphoun, to transform : meta-, meta- + morph, form.]

metamorphosis development of a monarch butterfly

---

metamorphosis [met-a-more-foss-is, -seez]

Noun

pl -ses

1. a complete change of physical form or substance

2. a complete change of character or appearance

3. Zool the change of form that accompanies transformation into an adult in certain animals, for example the butterfly or frog [Greek: transformation, from meta after + morphē form]

---

metamorphosis  (mt-môrf-ss)

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.

---

metamorphosis

1. change in form, structure, appearance, etc.
2. magical transformation. — metamorphic, metamorphous, adj.

See also: Change, Magic

---

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

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	metamorphosis - the marked and rapid transformation of a larva into an adult that occurs in some animals metabolism hemimetabolism, hemimetaboly, hemimetamorphosis - incomplete or partial metamorphosis in insects heterometabolism, 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" transfiguration 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 witchcraft translation, transformation - the act of changing in form or shape or appearance; "a photograph is a translation of a scene onto a two-dimensional surface"

---

metamorphosis

noun transformation, conversion, alteration, change, mutation, rebirth, changeover, transfiguration, transmutation, transubstantiation, transmogrification (jocular)

Translations

metamorphosis [pl metamorphoses] [mɛtəˈmɔːfəsɪs, -siːz] n → metamorfosis f inv

---

metamorphosis [-ses , pl ] [mɛtəˈmɔːfəsɪs, -siːz] n → métamorphose f

---

metamorphosis [mɛtəˈmɔːfəsɪs] [metamorphoses , pl ] n → Verwandlung f

---

metamorphosis [pl -phoses] [mɛtəˈmɔːfəsɪs, -iːz] n → metamorfosi f inv

---

metamorphosis

n metamorphosis [metəˈmoːfəsis]

(a) marked change of form, appearance, character etc a caterpillar's metamorphosis into a butterfly. metamorfose تَحَوُّل، مَسْخ метаморфоза proměna forvandling die Metamorphose μεταμόρφωση metamorfosis moondumine دگرگونی muodonmuutos métamorphose גִלגוּל, מֶטָמוֹרפוֹזָה आकार बदलना metamorfoza, preobrazba) metamorfózis metamorfosis umbreyting; hamskipti metamorfosi 変態 변모, 변태 metamorfozė metamorfoze perubahan gedaanteverwisseling forvandling, metamorfose metamorfoza metamorfose meta­mor­foză метаморфоза premena preobrazba metamorfoza metamorfos, förvandling การเปลี่ยนแปลงรูปร่างหรือลักษณะ metamorfoz, başkalaşım 變態, 變形 метаморфоза, перетворення قلب ماہیت sự biến hình 变态, 变形