metamorphosis
- 01 C1 Advanced
the process where an animal's body changes completely as it grows, such as a tadpole becoming a frog.
the biological process by which an animal physically develops after birth or hatching, involving a conspicuous and relatively abrupt change in the animal's body structure.
Simple“The children watched the metamorphosis of the caterpillars into beautiful monarch butterflies.”
In context“In many insect species, metamorphosis involves a complete pupal stage where the larval tissues are entirely reorganised into adult structures.”
UsageOften used with the preposition 'of' to describe the subject and 'into' to describe the result.
Synonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
a major change in the appearance, character, or circumstances of a person or thing.
a marked change in appearance, character, condition, or function within a non-biological context.
Simple“After his year abroad, he underwent a complete metamorphosis and became much more confident.”
In context“The city has undergone a stunning metamorphosis from a decaying industrial hub into a vibrant centre for technology and the arts.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 03 C2 Proficiency
a change in form brought about by magic or supernatural power.
a transformation of a person or object into a different shape or entity through supernatural or mythological means.
Simple“In the old myths, the goddess caused the hunter's metamorphosis into a deer.”
In context“Ovid's famous poem explores various myths of metamorphosis, where humans are transformed into animals or plants by the whims of the gods.”
Synonymstransmutationshapeshifting
“For decades, scientists widely assumed that tetrapods managed this shift through metamorphosis—beginning as waterborne tadpoles, much like modern frogs, then reorganizing their entire body plan to become partially land-dwelling adults.”
First attested in 1533, from Latin metamorphōsis, from Ancient Greek μεταμόρφωσις (metamórphōsis), from μετά (metá, “change”) + μορφή (morphḗ, “form”). Analyzable as meta- + -morph + -osis
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.