This shows grade level based on the word's complexity.
polymorphism
[ pol-ee-mawr-fiz-uhm ]
/ ˌpɒl iˈmɔr fɪz əm /
Save This Word!
This shows grade level based on the word's complexity.
noun
the state or condition of being polymorphous.
Crystallography. crystallization into two or more chemically identical but crystallographically distinct forms.
Biology. the existence of an organism in several form or color varieties as a result of discontinuous variation.
Genetics. the presence of two or more distinct phenotypes in a population due to the expression of different alleles of a given gene, as human blood groups O, A, B, and AB.
QUIZ
WILL YOU SAIL OR STUMBLE ON THESE GRAMMAR QUESTIONS?
Smoothly step over to these common grammar mistakes that trip many people up. Good luck!
Question 1 of 7
Fill in the blank: I can’t figure out _____ gave me this gift.
OTHER WORDS FROM polymorphism
pol·y·mor·phis·tic, adjectiveWords nearby polymorphism
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use polymorphism in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for polymorphism
polymorphism
/ (ˌpɒlɪˈmɔːfɪzəm) /
noun
biology
- the occurrence of more than one form of individual in a single species within an interbreeding population
- the occurrence of more than one form in the individual polyps of a coelenterate colony
the existence or formation of different types of crystal of the same chemical compound
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
Scientific definitions for polymorphism
polymorphism
[ pŏl′ē-môr′fĭz′əm ]
The occurrence of more than one form, as several alleles of a particular gene or winged and wingless forms of the same species. In bees, the presence of queen, worker, and drone is an example of polymorphism. Differences between the sexes and between breeds of domesticated animals are not considered examples of polymorphism.
The crystallization of a compound in at least two distinct forms. Diamond and graphite, for example, are polymorphs of the element carbon. They both consist entirely of carbon but have different crystal structures and different physical properties.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.