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Glite Dictionary
🪨 Changed by heat 🐸 Transformed in form
metamorphous

metamorphous

9.8
An animal that changes body form as it grows
  • adjective
  • /ˌmɛtəˈmɔrfəs/
  • Specialized
translation icon : metamórfico
  • Many amphibians become metamorphous as they undergo a transformation from their larval to adult forms.

Examples

  • Many amphibians become metamorphous as they transition from their larval to adult forms.

  • The process turns a caterpillar into a metamorphous butterfly.

  • Some minerals exhibit metamorphous characteristics after years of geological transformation.

  • The butterfly is a metamorphous creature.

  • Is that a metamorphous frog?

  • The caterpillar becomes metamorphous as it transforms into a butterfly.

  • Some minerals are described as metamorphous after undergoing significant geological changes.

Synonyms

metamorphic
vsmetamorphous
1 7.6

Changing into a very different form, like a caterpillar becoming a butterfly

is about results produced by that process rather than the ongoing change
transformed
vsmetamorphous
3.4

Changed completely in shape, look, or character

focuses on change resulting from a specific structural process rather than any complete change

How Changed

metamorphous
  • Specialized
9.8
changed
1.0
unaltered
5 3.7

Surface Forms

metamorphous positive

Morphology

metamorphous = metamorph (semi-transparent) = meta + morph + ous

The adjective is formed with '-ous' from a recognizable metamorph-related base, and its meaning of having undergone change in form is fairly inferable though somewhat specialized.

Etymology

The word metamorphous comes from Greek parts meta- meaning 'change' and morph meaning 'form', just like metamorphosis when a caterpillar becomes a butterfly. So to call an animal metamorphous is to say it has 'changed its form' in a clear way.