mutant
Americanadjective
noun
noun
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of mutant
1900–05; < Latin mūtant- (stem of mūtāns ), present participle of mūtāre to change; see -ant
Compare meaning
How does mutant compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
When an animal's genes change, or mutate, the new form of the animal that results is a mutant. One example of such a mutant is a blue lobster. Another is the teenage mutant ninja turtle. You can use the scientific term mutant for any plant or animal that's the result of a change, or mutation, in the DNA of that organism. When the word is used as an adjective, it describes something having to do with this kind of mutation, like a mutant chromosome or a mutant lobster. Mutant stems from the Latin mutantem, which means "changing."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Voice actor Peter Renaday, best known for his role in the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles TV series, has died aged 89.
From BBC • Sep. 11, 2024
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem” was one of my favorite movies from last summer.
From Los Angeles Times • May 16, 2024
The venture would also keep Paramount’s library of films and TV shows, as well as the rights to characters like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
From New York Times • May 9, 2024
Mutant bacteria with a disordered cellular arrangement were more responsive to added sugar or antibiotic in specific areas within the biofilm, also known as subzones.
From Science Daily • Feb. 1, 2024
“We might as well put a sign on the roof that says ‘Warning: Mutant on Premises!’”
From "Schooled" by Gordon Korman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
