METAMORPHOSIS

Pronunciation (US): (GB):

Irregular inflected form: metamorphoses

Meaning:

A complete change of physical form or substance especially as by magic or witchcraft

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("metamorphosis" is a kind of...):

transformation; translation (the act of changing in form or shape or appearance)

Derivation:

metamorphous (produced by metamorphosis)

metamorphous (of or relating to metamorphosis (especially of rocks))

Meaning:

A striking change in appearance or character or circumstances

Example:

the metamorphosis of the old house into something new and exciting

Synonyms:

metamorphosis; transfiguration

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("metamorphosis" is a kind of...):

alteration; revision (the act of revising or altering (involving reconsideration and modification))

Meaning:

The marked and rapid transformation of a larva into an adult that occurs in some animals

Synonyms:

metabolism; metamorphosis

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural processes

Hypernyms ("metamorphosis" is a kind of...):

biological process; organic process (a process occurring in living organisms)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "metamorphosis"):

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)

Derivation:

metamorphic (characterized by metamorphosis or change in physical form or substance)