polymorph
Americannoun
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Biology. an organism having more than one form or type as a result of discontinuous variation.
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Crystallography. any of the crystal forms assumed by a substance that exhibits polymorphism.
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Anatomy. granulocyte.
noun
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a species of animal or plant that exhibits polymorphism
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any of the crystalline forms of a chemical compound that exhibits polymorphism
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Also called: polymorphonuclear leucocyte. any of a group of white blood cells that have lobed nuclei and granular cytoplasm and function as phagocytes; they include neutrophils, basophils, and eosinophils
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of polymorph
First recorded in 1820–30; from Greek polýmorphos; see poly-, -morph
Vocabulary lists containing polymorph
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.
The other silica polymorph was quartz, which lay like a ring around the coesite.
From Science Daily • Oct. 27, 2023
In the comics, Kamala gains polymorph and other enhanced abilities after being exposed to a special mist that awakened latent powers that are tied to a race of superpowered, human-ish aliens.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2022
Now a polymorph, Kamala initially struggles to control her powers but soon gets the hang of it after saving one of her schoolmates during a moment of danger.
From Salon • Jun. 7, 2022
Calcite and closely-related polymorph aragonite are secreted by organisms to form shells and physical structures like corals.
From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2017
With time, the growing polymorph becomes most abundant.
From Nature • Nov. 8, 2016
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.
