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| met·a·mor·phose [ mèttə máwr fz, mèttə máwr fss ] (past and past participle met·a·mor·phosed, present participle met·a·mor·phos·ing, 3rd person present singular met·a·mor·phos·es) |
verb |
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| Definition: |
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1. transitive and intransitive verb change physical form: to undergo a complete or marked change of physical form, structure, or substance, or make somebody or something undergo this
  The water had metamorphosed into ice.
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2. transitive and intransitive verb change appearance or character: to undergo a complete or marked change in appearance, character, or condition, or make somebody or something undergo this
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3. transitive and intransitive verb change supposedly by magic: to undergo a transformation supposedly by magic, or make somebody or something undergo this
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4. intransitive verb zoology undergo bodily changes during growth: to undergo a complete or marked change of bodily form while developing into an adult animal
The tadpole has metamorphosed into a frog.
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5. transitive and intransitive verb geology change rock structure: to undergo metamorphism, or make a rock undergo metamorphism
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| [Late 16th century. < French métamorphoser< métamorphose "metamorphosis" < Latin metamorphosis (see metamorphosis)] |
