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mutate

[ myoo-teyt ]
/ ˈmyu teɪt /
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See synonyms for: mutate / mutated on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), mu·tat·ed, mu·tat·ing.
to change; alter.
Biology. to cause (a gene, cell, etc.) to undergo an alteration of one or more characteristics: The disease mutates the retina’s rod cells, and they slowly stop working.
Phonetics. to change by umlaut.
verb (used without object), mu·tat·ed, mu·tat·ing.
to undergo change: It was a gamble to mutate from hard rock frontman to big band crooner, but he went seriously retro and won that bet in a huge way.
Biology. (of a gene, cell, etc.) to undergo an alteration of one or more characteristics: Drug-resistant cells mutate more quickly and could migrate into surrounding tissue.
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In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

Origin of mutate

First recorded in 1810–20; from Latin mūtātus, past participle of mūtare “to change”; see -ate1

OTHER WORDS FROM mutate

mu·ta·tive [myoo-tuh-tiv], /ˈmyu tə tɪv/, adjectivenon·mu·ta·tive, adjectiveun·mu·tat·ed, adjectiveun·mu·ta·tive, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use mutate in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for mutate

mutate
/ (mjuːˈteɪt) /

verb
to undergo or cause to undergo mutation

Derived forms of mutate

mutative (ˈmjuːtətɪv, mjuːˈteɪtɪv), adjective

Word Origin for mutate

C19: from Latin mūtātus changed, from mūtāre to change
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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