Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • intransitive verb To change markedly the appearance or form of.
  • intransitive verb To change the nature, function, or condition of; convert: synonym: convert.
  • intransitive verb Mathematics To subject to a transformation.
  • intransitive verb Electricity To subject to the action of a transformer.
  • intransitive verb Genetics To subject (a cell) to transformation.
  • intransitive verb To undergo a transformation.
  • noun The result, especially a mathematical quantity or linguistic construction, of a transformation.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To change the form of; metamorphose; change to something dissimilar.
  • Specifically, in alchemy, to change into another substance; transmute.
  • To change the nature, character, or disposition of.
  • In mathematics, to alter from one figure or expression to another differing in form but equal in quantity. See transformation, 4.
  • To change in appearance or character; undergo transformation; be metamorphosed: as, some insects transform under ground; the pupa transforms into the imago.
  • noun In mathematics, the figure or function or operator which results from performing the operation of transformation.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • intransitive verb rare To be changed in form; to be metamorphosed.
  • transitive verb To change the form of; to change in shape or appearance; to metamorphose.
  • transitive verb To change into another substance; to transmute.
  • transitive verb To change in nature, disposition, heart, character, or the like; to convert.
  • transitive verb (Math.) To change, as an algebraic expression or geometrical figure, into another from without altering its value.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb transitive to change greatly the appearance or form of
  • verb transitive to change the nature, condition or function of
  • verb transitive (mathematics) to subject to a transformation
  • verb transitive (electricity) to subject to the action of a transformer
  • verb transitive (genetics) to subject (a cell) to transformation
  • verb intransitive to undergo a transformation
  • noun mathematics the result of a transformation

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb subject to a mathematical transformation
  • verb convert (one form of energy) to another
  • verb increase or decrease (an alternating current or voltage)
  • verb change or alter in form, appearance, or nature
  • verb change (a bacterial cell) into a genetically distinct cell by the introduction of DNA from another cell of the same or closely related species
  • verb change in outward structure or looks
  • verb change from one form or medium into another

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English transformen, from Old French transformer, from Latin trānsfōrmāre : trāns-, trans- + fōrma, form.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Old French transformer, from Latin trans ("across", preposition) + forma ("form").

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