metamorphic
/ˌmɛt.əˈmɔɹ.fɪk/
metamorphic means characterised by or exhibiting a change in form or character.
metamorphic is pronounced /ˌmɛt.əˈmɔɹ.fɪk/.
Why “metamorphic” is a great word
Pertaining to or characterized by a profound change in form, structure, or character. From metamorphosis (from Greek meta-, meaning 'after' or 'change', and morphē, meaning 'form') + the suffix -ic, meaning 'of or pertaining to'. Unlike "igneous," which describes a fiery origin, or "transformative," which suggests a general process, metamorphic implies a complete recasting of identity under duress. It is the limestone calcified into marble, the shale compressed to ringing slate, and the gneiss banded into flowing stripes of light and dark. The metamorphic endures what the igneous merely escapes: not an escape from form, but form imposed upon form, until what was becomes unrecognizable, and yet remains.
Etymology
From metamorphosis + -ic.
adj
- Characterised by or exhibiting a change in form or character.
- Pertaining to metamorphism; having been structurally altered as a result of, or resulting from, exposure to intense heat and/or pressure (at the contact zone between colliding plates, for example).e.g.“Yu Shan or Jade Mountain, 3997 meters, is the highest mountain in Taiwan and all of east Asia. It is built of metamorphic rock, as are all the mountains in Taiwan.” — 1981 April 7, Michael R. Kelsey, “Asia”, in Climbers and Hikers Guide to the World's Mountains (Including 318 Maps), 1st edition, Springville, Utah: Kelsey Publishing Co., →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 25
- Pertaining to metamorphosis.
- Of or relating to the Metamorphic Technique, a form of massage influenced by reflexology.
noun
- A rock that has been changed from its original form by subjection to heat and/or pressure.
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
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