transformation

[trans-fer-mey-shuhn]

noun

1. the act or process of transforming.

2. the state of being transformed.

3. change in form, appearance, nature, or character.

4. Theater.,  a seemingly miraculous change in the appearance of scenery or actors in view of the audience.

5. Also called transform. Logic.,  one of a set of algebraic formulas used to express the relations between elements, sets, etc., that form parts of a given system.

6. Mathematics.

   1. the act, process, or result of transforming or mapping.

   2. function.

7. Linguistics.

   1. transformational rule.

   2. the process by which deep structures are converted into surface structures using transformational rules.

8. Genetics.,  the transfer of genetic material from one cell to another resulting in a genetic change in the recipient cell.

9. a wig or hairpiece for a woman.

transformation

/ ˌtrænsfəˈmeɪʃən /

noun

1. a change or alteration, esp a radical one

2. the act of transforming or the state of being transformed

3. maths

   1. a change in position or direction of the reference axes in a coordinate system without an alteration in their relative angle

   2. an equivalent change in an expression or equation resulting from the substitution of one set of variables by another

4. physics a change in an atomic nucleus to a different nuclide as the result of the emission of either an alpha-particle or a beta-particle Compare transition

5. linguistics another word for transformational rule

6. an apparently miraculous change in the appearance of a stage set

7. (in South Africa) a national strategy aimed at attaining national unity, promoting reconciliation through negotiated settlement and non-racism

transformation

1. The genetic alteration of a bacteria cell by the introduction of DNA from another cell or from a virus. Plasmids, which contain extrachromosomal DNA, are used to transform bacteria in recombinant DNA research.

2. The change undergone by an animal cell upon infection by a cancer-causing virus.

Other Word Forms

• transformational adjective
• nontransformation noun
• retransformation noun
• self-transformation noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of transformation¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Late Latin trānsfōrmātiōn-, stem of trānsfōrmātiō “change of shape”; equivalent to trans- + formation

Example Sentences

In August, he called the moves “the biggest organizational transformation that we have done in our history.”

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Brown said he was disappointed with the second-quarter results and appointed an interim chief transformation officer to support an overhaul of the business.

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Her extensive transformation included the flipping of the upstairs and downstairs layouts, overhauling the property’s greenhouse in order to turn it into an indoor/outdoor dining room, and the addition of a new chef’s kitchen.

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“The really big dividends, the really big stuff that comes from transformation, that just takes a while to work out how to do,” he said.

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In the embattled Riley’s fourth season, with his reputation’s back against the wall, this was a statement of strength, a message of transformation.

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Related Words

• conversion 
• metamorphosis 
• renewal 
• revolution 
• shift