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əˈmɔrnoun, plural -ses 
[-seez] .
[-seez] . 1.
Biology. a profound change in form from one stage to the next in the life history of an organism, as from the caterpillar to the pupa and from the pupa to the adult butterfly. Compare complete metamorphosis.
2.
a complete change of form, structure, or substance, as transformation by magic or witchcraft.
3.
any complete change in appearance, character, circumstances, etc.
4.
a form resulting from any such change.
5.
EXPANDPathology.
a.
a type of alteration or degeneration in which tissues are changed: fatty metamorphosis of the liver.
b.
the resultant form.
6.
COLLAPSEBotany. the structural or functional modification of a plant organ or structure during its development.
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Metamorphosis
is an SAT word you need to know.
So is clandestine. Does it mean:
| kept or done in secret, often in order to conceal an illicit or improper purpose |
| something implied or suggested as naturally to be inferred or understood |
Example Sentences
- So the metamorphosis, if that's what it is, is still in progress.
- He then went through a slow and remarkable metamorphosis.
- Although this extraordinary metamorphosis rivals the majestic butterfly's, illustrations and text convey facts more than wonder.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Metamorphosis, The
noun (German, Die Verwandlung)
a short story (1915) by Franz Kafka.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Link To metamorphosis
Collins
World English Dictionary
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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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
metamorphosis
1530s, "change of form or shape, especially by witchcraft," from L. metamorphosis, from Gk. metamorphosis "a transforming," from metamorphoun "to transform," from meta- "change" (see meta-) + morphe "form" (see morphine).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Medical Dictionary
metamorphosis met·a·mor·pho·sis (mět'ə-môr'fə-sĭs)
n. pl. met·a·mor·pho·ses (-sēz')
A marked change in appearance, character, condition, or function. Also called transformation.
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.
A usually degenerative pathological change in the structure of a particular body tissue.
met'a·mor·phot'ic (-môr-fŏt'ĭk) adj.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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American Heritage
Science Dictionary
| metamorphosis (mět'ə-môr'fə-sĭs) Pronunciation Key
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® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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American Heritage
Cultural Dictionary
metamorphosis [(met-uh-mawr-fuh-sis)]A change in an animal as it grows, particularly a radical change, such as the transformation of a caterpillar into a butterfly.
The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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