metamorphism

[met-uh-mawr-fiz-uhm]

met·a·mor·phism

[met-uh-mawr-fiz-uhm]
noun
1.
Geology. a change in the structure or constitution of a rock due to natural agencies, as pressure and heat, especially when the rock becomes harder and more completely crystalline.
2.
Archaic. metamorphosis.

Origin:
1835–45; meta- + -morphism
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Metamorphism is always a great word to know.
So is crust. Does it mean:
outer layer of the earth, about 22 miles deep under the continents and 6 miles deep under the oceans
thin, distinctive stratum useful for stratigraphic correlation
Collins
World English Dictionary
metamorphism (ˌmɛtəˈmɔːfɪzəm)
 
n
1.  the process by which metamorphic rocks are formed
2.  a variant of metamorphosis

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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American Heritage
Science Dictionary
metamorphism   (mět'ə-môr'fĭz'əm)  Pronunciation Key 
The process by which rocks are changed in composition, texture, or structure by extreme heat and pressure. ◇ In prograde metamorphism metamorphic rocks that were formed under low pressure and temperature conditions undergo a second metamorphic event in which they are exposed to higher pressures and temperatures. ◇ In retrograde metamorphism metamorphic rocks that were formed under high pressure and temperature conditions undergo a second metamorphic event in which they are exposed to lower pressures and temperatures. See more at contact metamorphism, regional metamorphism.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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