polymorphism
noun
- Chem., Mineralogy the property of certain substances of crystallizing in two or more different forms or systems
- Biol. the condition in which a species has two or more very different morphological forms, as the castes of social insects or the flowers of certain plants
See polymorphism in American Heritage Dictionary 4
(pŏlˌē-môrˈfĭzˌəm)
noun- Biology The occurrence of different forms, stages, or types in individual organisms or in organisms of the same species, independent of sexual variations.
- Chemistry Crystallization of a compound in at least two distinct forms. Also called pleomorphism.
Related Forms:
- polˌy·morˈphic, polˌy·morˈphous adjective
- polˌy·morˈphous·ly adverb
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