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🦎 Many forms in species 🧊 Different crystal forms 🎨 Many different forms
polymorphy

polymorphy

9.9
A substance that can exist in two or more solid forms with different properties
  • noun
  • /ˌpɒlɪˈmɔːrfi/
  • Specialized
translation icon : polimorfismo
  • Understanding polymorphy is important in designing stable pharmaceutical products.

Examples

  • Many substances show polymorphy under different temperature conditions.

  • Researchers discovered that polymorphy in minerals leads to different crystal structures.

  • The polymorphy of a compound can influence its melting point and solubility.

  • The mineral exhibits polymorphy in its crystalline structure.

  • The polymorphy of a compound can influence its melting point and solubility.

  • Researchers discovered that polymorphy in minerals leads to different crystal structures.

  • Understanding polymorphy is important in designing stable pharmaceutical products.

Synonyms

polymorphism
vspolymorphy
  • Specialized
9.4

When a substance makes different crystal shapes under different conditions

emphasizes that each form shows different physical properties
pleomorphism
vspolymorphy
  • Specialized
9.9

A chemical substance that can form different crystal shapes

stresses that these forms differ in their physical properties
dimorphism
vspolymorphy
  • Specialized
9.9

A substance that forms two different kinds of crystals

includes more than two forms rather than only two
allotropy
vspolymorphy
  • Specialized
9.9

A case when an element exists in two or more different physical forms

applies to chemical substances or compounds rather than elements
allotropism
vspolymorphy
  • Specialized
9.9

A chemical element that exists in two or more different forms with different arrangements and properties

applies to chemical substances rather than elemental forms

How Variable

polymorphy
  • Specialized
9.9
pleomorphism
  • Specialized
9.9
polymorphous
  • Specialized
9.6
variation
77 3.3

Surface Forms

polymorphy singular
polymorphies plural

Morphology

polymorphy = polymorph (semi-transparent) = poly + morph + y

The components point to 'many forms', but the chemical term is a technical specialization of that general idea.

Etymology

Polymorphy comes from Greek parts poly 'many' and morph 'shape', like in polygon and metamorphosis. In chemistry, polymorphy means a substance can take 'many shapes' as different crystal forms, and those shapes can change its physical properties.