Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- adj. Lacking definite form; shapeless. See Synonyms at shapeless.
- adj. Of no particular type; anomalous.
- adj. Lacking organization; formless.
- adj. Lacking distinct crystalline structure.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- Having no determinate form; of irregular shape.
- Having no regular structure; specifically, not crystallized, even in the minutest particles: as, glass and opal are amorphous.—. Of no particular kind or character; formless; characterless; heterogeneous; unorganized.
- Characterized by amorphism; founded on the principles of amorphism; nihilistic; anarchic.
- Also amorphic.
Wiktionary
- adj. lacking a definite form or clear shape
- adj. being without definite character or nature
- adj. lacking organization or unity
- adj. in the non-crystalline solid state of a typically crystalline solid.
GNU Webster's 1913
- adj. Having no determinate form; of irregular; shapeless.
- adj. Without crystallization in the ultimate texture of a solid substance; uncrystallized.
- adj. Of no particular kind or character; anomalous.
WordNet 3.0
- adj. without real or apparent crystalline form
- adj. having no definite form or distinct shape
- adj. lacking the system or structure characteristic of living bodies
Etymologies
- From Greek amorphos : a-, without; see a-1 + morphē, shape.
Examples
“No, I don't think 'amorphous' is quite the word for much of that southern white elite.”
Is That Legal?: The Past And Partisan Posturing in North Carolina
“I don't know if the problem is that my "Gen" can only think in amorphous non-thoughts, but the best thing they could do would be to come up with actual concrete plans of action.”
“And speaking of crying out loud, if you look and listen you'll see that these youngsters are crying out for guidance on how they can help make this space thing happen and forge their paths into the future, and what do they get from the peanut gallery? packed full of nothing can only think in amorphous non-thoughts”
“In collaboration with John Konnert and Peter D'Antonio, procedures were developed for determining atomic arrangements in amorphous materials based on criteria similar to those applied to molecular vapors.”
“Again; solid bodies, whether simple or compound, are capable of existing in two states, which are known by the terms amorphous and crystalline.”
“He said Apple will take a production line at Sharp's Sakai facility to make a modified version of what are known as amorphous TFT displays and will likely begin commercial production of what he called iTV in February.”
“He said Apple will take a production line at Sharp's Sakai facility to make a modified version of what are known as amorphous TFT displays and will probably begin commercial production of what he called iTV in February.”
“United Solar uses something called amorphous silicon technology, while Dow has set its sights on a newer technology known as Cigs -- photovoltaic cells made of copper, indium, gallium and selenium, which, when they work, are more efficient -- able to turn 13% of the sun's energy into electricity.”
“Now glasses are also silicates of various metals, but unlike gem minerals the glasses are not crystalline but rather amorphous, that is, without definite geometric form or definite internal arrangement.”
A Text-Book of Precious Stones for Jewelers and the Gem-Loving Public
“The water molecules would have stuck together much more haphazardly, forming so-called amorphous ice.”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘amorphous’.
-
GRE Barrons Wordlist
A complete Barron's Wordlist for GRE preparation. Your online flashcard replacement.
abase, abash, abate, abbreviate, abdicate, aberrant, aberration, abet, abeyance, abhor, abject, abjure and 4084 more...
-
Iaan
dirigisme, dystopia, cacotopia, ex ante, veritable, indefatigable, curmudgeon, desultory, antediluvian, transmogrify, pendent, elongate and 136 more...
-
The weird, the wonderful and the plain hilarious
Loved for their ingenuity, an exact description, or simply for the pure joy of it.
acidulous, aprosdoketon, higgledy-piggledy, lexicographical, ninja, audacious, somnabulist, shivaree, amorphous, quidnunc, glib, melancholy and 353 more...
-
ghost
This is Ghost List 2 ( the kind that go 'boo!' ) :P
phantom, spectral, specter, spectre, spooky, poltergeist, haunt, spirit, banshee, cryptic, shadow, phantasm and 294 more...
-
Arbitrary words
A young boy's quest to find a paradigm of "the perfect word."
preponderating, extol, antiquated, aphorism, corollary, blithe, acclivity, abnegate, inasmuch as, averred, cessation, bilious and 7 more...
-
February 2012
filiopietistic, bifurcate, enclave, wedlock, decadent, unduly, defunct, lapel, tumescent, capitulation, leaden, scintilla and 83 more...
-
Cloudy
with a chance of mizzle
puff, nebulous, fog, overcast, becloud, bedim, taint, befog, dapple, mottle, sully, pother and 83 more...
wackyvorlon I love this word. Has a wonderful sound. Sep 22, 2008