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-morphic

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variant of -morphous: anthropomorphic.
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Origin of -morphic

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

WORDS THAT USE -MORPHIC

What does -morphic mean?

The combining formmorphic is used like a suffix meaning “having the shape, form, or structure.” It is occasionally used in scientific terms, especially in biology.

The form –morphic comes from a combination of two forms. The first is morph, from Greek –morphos, meaning “shape.” The second is the suffix ic, from Greek –ikos or Latin –icus, both meaning “having some characteristics of.”

What are variants of –morphic?

In some terms, the form –morphic becomes morphous, as in polymorphous. Additional related combining forms include morph, morpho, and morphism. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use articles on all four combining forms.

Examples of -morphic

An example of a scientific term you may have encountered that features –morphic is metamorphic, “pertaining to or characterized by change of form, or metamorphosis.”

The combining form meta, from Greek, has a variety of meanings, including “beyond.” The form –morphic means “having the shape, form, or structure.” Metamorphic therefore roughly means “beyond a shape, form, or structure.”

What are some words that use the combining form –morphic?

What are some other forms that –morphic may be commonly confused with?

Break it down!

The combining form zoo means “animal.” With this in mind, what does zoomorphic mean?

How to use -morphic in a sentence

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