polymorphism
[ pol-ee-mawr-fiz-uh m ]
/ ˌpɒl iˈmɔr fɪz əm /
noun
the state or condition of being polymorphous.
Crystallography.
crystallization into two or more chemically identical but crystallographically distinct forms.
Biology.
the existence of an organism in several form or color varieties.
Genetics.
the presence of two or more distinct phenotypes in a population due to the expression of different alleles of a given gene, as human blood groups O, A, B, and AB.
OTHER WORDS FROM polymorphism
pol·y·mor·phis·tic, adjectiveWords nearby polymorphism
Example sentences from the Web for polymorphism
British Dictionary definitions for polymorphism
polymorphism
/ (ˌpɒlɪˈmɔːfɪzəm) /
noun
biology
- the occurrence of more than one form of individual in a single species within an interbreeding population
- the occurrence of more than one form in the individual polyps of a coelenterate colony
the existence or formation of different types of crystal of the same chemical compound
Medical definitions for polymorphism
polymorphism
[ pŏl′ē-môr′fĭz′əm ]
n.
The occurrence of different forms, stages, or types in individual organisms or in organisms of the same species, independent of sexual variations.
Crystallization of a compound in at least two distinct forms.
pleomorphism
Other words from polymorphism
pol′y•mor′phic null adj.Scientific definitions for polymorphism
polymorphism
[ pŏl′ē-môr′fĭz′əm ]
The occurrence of more than one form, as several alleles of a particular gene or winged and wingless forms of the same species. In bees, the presence of queen, worker, and drone is an example of polymorphism. Differences between the sexes and between breeds of domesticated animals are not considered examples of polymorphism.
The crystallization of a compound in at least two distinct forms. Diamond and graphite, for example, are polymorphs of the element carbon. They both consist entirely of carbon but have different crystal structures and different physical properties.