Definitions

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

  • adjective Of, relating to, or characterized by metamorphosis.
  • adjective Geology Changed in structure or composition as a result of metamorphism. Used of rock.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Producing metamorphosis; changing the form or structure; transforming: as, a metamorphic cause or agency; metamorphic action.
  • Exhibiting metamorphosis or metamorphism; changed in form or structure; metamorphosed.
  • See metamorphism.
  • Noting races formed by intercrossing of archimorphic races in those parts of the world where distinct archimorphic races come into contact. Examples of metamorphic races are the Malay, Ethiopians, and Hottentots.

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

  • adjective Subject to change; changeable; variable.
  • adjective Causing a change of structure.
  • adjective (Geol.) Pertaining to, produced by, or exhibiting, certain changes which minerals or rocks may have undergone since their original deposition; -- especially applied to the recrystallization which sedimentary rocks have undergone through the influence of heat and pressure, after which they are called metamorphic rocks.

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

  • adjective geology 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).
  • noun mineralogy A rock that has been changed from its original form by subjection to heat and/or pressure.

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

  • adjective characterized by metamorphosis or change in physical form or substance
  • adjective of or relating to metamorphosis (especially of rocks)

Etymologies

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

[metamorph(osis) + –ic.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From metamorphosis +‎ -ic.

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