Noun: metamorphosis (metamorphoses) ,me-tu'mor-fu-sis
- A complete change of physical form or substance especially as by magic or witchcraft
"The witch's metamorphosis into a cat was a classic fairy tale trope"
- A striking change in appearance, character or circumstances
"the metamorphosis of the old house into something new and exciting";
- transfiguration
- The marked and rapid transformation of a larva into an adult that occurs in some animals
"The metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a butterfly is a fascinating process"
Derived forms: metamorphoses
Type of: alteration, biological process, organic process, revision, transformation, translation
Encyclopedia: Metamorphosis