morph

¹ American  

[mawrf] / mɔrf /

noun

1. Linguistics. a sequence of phonemes constituting a minimal unit of grammar or syntax, and, as such, a representation, member, or contextual variant of a morpheme in a specific environment.

2. Biology. an individual of one particular form, as a worker ant, in a species that occurs in two or more forms.

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verb (used with object)

1. to transform (an image) by computer.

verb (used without object)

1. to be transformed.

   morphing from a tough negotiator to Mr. Friendly.

morph- ² American  

1. variant of morpho- before a vowel.

   morpheme.

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-morph ³ American  

1. a combining form meaning “form, structure,” of the kind specified by the initial element.

   isomorph.

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morph ¹ British  

/ mɔːf /

noun

1. biology any of the different forms of individual found in a polymorphic species

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morph ² British  

/ mɔːf /

noun

1. linguistics the phonological representation of a morpheme

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morph ³ British  

/ mɔːf /

verb

1. to undergo or cause to undergo morphing

2. to transform or be transformed completely in appearance or character

   he morphed from nerd into pop icon

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noun

1. a morphed image

-morph ⁴ British  

combining form

1. indicating shape, form, or structure of a specified kind

   ectomorph

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morph. ⁵ British  

abbreviation

1. morphological

2. morphology

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morph Scientific  

/ môrf /

1. A phenotypically distinct form of an organism or species.

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Usage

What does morph- mean? Morph- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “form, structure.” It is often occasionally used in scientific terms, especially in biology and linguistics. Morph- comes from Greek morphḗ, meaning “form.”What are variants of morph-?Morph- is a variant of morpho-, which loses its -o- when combined with words or word elements beginning with vowels. Additional related combining forms include -morphic, -morphism, and -morphous. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use articles on all four combining forms.

What does -morph mean? The combining form -morph is used like a suffix meaning “form, structure.” It is often used in scientific terms, especially in biology. Historically, -morph has been used in the pseudoscience of somatotype, which seeks to typify body shapes. The form -morph ultimately comes from Greek morphḗ, meaning “form.” The equivalent combining form from Latin is -form, from -fōrmis, meaning “having the form of.”What are variants of -morph?The form -morph is related to the forms -morphous and -morphic, meaning "having the shape, form, or structure." Other related forms are -morphism, morph-, and morpho-. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use articles on all five forms.

Other Word Forms

• -morphic combining form
• -morphy combining form
• morphic adjective

Etymology

Origin of morph¹

1945–50; back formation from morpheme, or independent use of -morph

Origin of -morph³

< Greek -morphos; -morphous

Explanation

To morph is to change from one shape to another. A cute bunny, for example, might morph into a killer dragon in a fairy tale or an animated film. Morph comes from the word metamorphosis, which is a Greek word meaning "a transforming." As a verb, it has only been around since the 1980s, when computers allowed animators to make things change shape in an apparently seamlessly way. With the right skills, you can morph a toaster into a highly intelligent robot that helps fight crime, offers dating advice to the protagonist of the film, and still makes an excellent piece of toast.

Example Sentences

The defense industry is being disrupted by privately held unicorns that want to morph into a new set of “neo-primes,” aiming to dominate in a world where autonomous systems are critical.

From Barron's • Mar. 31, 2026

OTTAWA—The Bank of Canada’s priority is to ensure that higher energy prices stemming from the war in Iran do not morph into an extended period of elevated inflation, the central bank’s No. 2 official said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

"Birds can actually morph their wings," says Upmanyu.

From BBC • Mar. 3, 2026

Don’t allow your grief to morph into self-sabotage, allowing the sadness over the loss of your parents to spoil the money they worked so hard for you to enjoy.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 31, 2026

The silence is beginning to morph into something straight-up menacing.

From "Dear Martin" by Nic Stone

Related Words

• alter
• modify
• transform