Morph Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

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morph

[mɔːrf ]

Definitions

Context #1 | Noun

biology

A distinct form or variant of a plant, animal, or other organism that arises from a single parent.

Examples of usage

  • Morphs can be different in size, shape, color, or other characteristics.
  • Male and female morphs may have different patterns of behavior.
  • Some butterflies exhibit seasonal morphs to adapt to changing environments.
Context #2 | Verb

linguistics

To undergo a gradual process of change from one phonological or morphological form to another.

Examples of usage

  • The word 'mouse' morphed from the Old English 'mus'.
  • In some languages, words morph to indicate tense or aspect.
  • She observed how the language had morphed over the centuries.

Translations

To see the translation, please select a language from the options available.

Origin of 'morph'

The word 'morph' originated in the late 20th century as a short form of 'metamorphosis'. It was first used in biology to describe the different forms of organisms. Later, it was adopted in the field of linguistics to refer to the gradual change in linguistic elements. The term has since become popular in various fields to describe transformations and changes.


See also: geomorphology, metamorphosis, morpheme, morphing, morphology, polymorphic.

Word Frequency Rank

At rank #28,395, this word represents specialized academic or technical vocabulary. It's less frequently encountered but may be valuable in specific contexts.