transformation
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
a complete change in the appearance or character of something.
a marked change in the form, nature, or appearance of something, typically resulting in an improvement.
Simple“The old factory underwent a transformation and is now a beautiful art gallery.”
In context“The city has seen a total transformation over the last decade, evolving from a decaying industrial hub into a vibrant centre for technology and tourism.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
a process that changes one mathematical shape or expression into another.
a mapping of one mathematical space onto another, or the replacement of variables in an algebraic expression.
Simple“The teacher explained how a geometric transformation can flip or rotate a shape.”
In context“Linear transformations are fundamental to understanding how vectors behave when moving from one coordinate system to another.”
- 03 C2 Proficiency
a rule that changes the structure of a sentence into a different form.
a rule that systematically converts one syntactic structure into another, such as changing an active sentence into a passive one.
Simple“In grammar class, we learned about the transformation of active sentences into passive ones.”
In context“Generative grammar relies on specific transformations to explain how deep structures are converted into the surface structures of spoken language.”
- 04 C1 Advanced
a change in a cell caused by taking in DNA from outside.
the genetic alteration of a cell resulting from the direct uptake and incorporation of exogenous genetic material from its surroundings.
Simple“Scientists used bacterial transformation to create medicine in the lab.”
In context“The successful transformation of the bacteria allowed the researchers to introduce a gene that provides resistance to specific antibiotics.”
- 05 C1 Advanced
the change from apartheid to a fair democracy for all races in South Africa.
the socio-political transition from the apartheid era to a multiracial democracy in South Africa.
Simple“The country is still working on economic transformation many years after the end of apartheid.”
In context“Transformation remains a central pillar of government policy as the nation seeks to redress the systemic inequalities inherited from the past.”
UsageOften used with a capital 'T' in South African contexts.
Synonyms
Usage undergo transformation
“While a fundamental political and ideological transformation of Serbia remains difficult to imagine, Markovic said the most important step would be to remove Vucic and the SNS from power.”
“In 2025, Spain's Minister for Digital Transformation and Public Service Óscar López also announced a new plan transform the state administration using artificial intelligence , but again this doesn't appear to have materialised yet.”
Inherited from Middle English transformacioun, from Middle French, from Ecclesiastical Latin trānsfōrmātiō. Morphologically transform + -ation.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.