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metachrosis

/ ˌmɛtəˈkrəʊsɪs /

noun

  1. zoology the ability of some animals, such as chameleons, to change their colour
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


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Word History and Origins

Origin of metachrosis1

C19: from meta- + Greek khrōs colour
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Example Sentences

Metachrosis, met-a-krō′sis, n. colour-change, as of a chameleon.

The coloration in life is highly variable; much of the apparent variation is due to metachrosis, for individuals of Smilisca baudini are capable of undergoing drastic and rapid change in coloration.

The coloration in the living frogs is highly variable due to extreme metachrosis.

The most striking examples of metachrosis in Smilisca are found in the baudini group, in which the dorsal ground-color changes from green to tan; correlated with the change in ground-color may be a corresponding change in the dorsal markings, but the dorsal markings may change to the opposite color.

The degree of metachrosis is moderate.

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