Noun: polymorphism ,pó-lee'mor,fi-zum
- (genetics) the genetic variation within a population that natural selection can operate on
"Genetic polymorphism in the human immune system helps defend against a variety of pathogens"
- (chemistry) the existence of different kinds of crystal of the same chemical compound
"The polymorphism of carbon allows it to exist as both graphite and diamond";
- pleomorphism
- (biology) the existence of two or more forms of individuals within the same animal species (independent of sex differences)
"The polymorphism in butterfly wing patterns helps protect them from predators"
- (computing) a feature of object-oriented programming where objects of different types can be accessed through the same interface, allowing methods to behave differently based on the object's type
"Polymorphism enables a single method call to work on different object types"
Derived forms: polymorphisms
Type of: chemical phenomenon, organic phenomenon
Encyclopedia: Polymorphism