metamorphosis
metamorphosis — noun
- metamorphosissingular
- metamorphosesplural
1. a dramatic and complete shift in the appearance, character, or situation of a pe
a dramatic and complete shift in the appearance, character, or situation of a person or thing, so that they become very different from before
Under its new editor, the magazine underwent a complete metamorphosis into a stylish lifestyle publication.
collocation: undergo a metamorphosis
The city's metamorphosis from a small fishing village into a major port happened in just one generation.
pattern: metamorphosis from X into Y
Theo's metamorphosis from a shy new student into class president amazed the teachers.
The old train station went through a remarkable metamorphosis and now houses a popular food market.
Bilal noticed a complete metamorphosis in his grandmother's attitude once she learned to use social media.
- transformation
broader, used in everyday contexts; metamorphosis implies a more striking or complete change
- transfiguration
more literary or religious; suggests a change that is almost magical in nature
- rebirth
emphasises the idea of a new beginning after the change; more figurative
- stagnation
a lack of change or growth, the opposite of development into a new form
用法筆記
Often used with the verbs 'undergo' or 'go through' to describe a major shift. More common in formal or written English than in everyday conversation.
常見錯誤
2. the biological process in which animals like caterpillars and tadpoles change fr
the biological process in which animals like caterpillars and tadpoles change from a young body into an adult form that looks completely different
A caterpillar begins its metamorphosis inside a cocoon and emerges weeks later as a beautiful butterfly.
biological sense: insect life cycle
Naoko's biology project followed the metamorphosis of a tadpole as it slowly grew legs and lost its tail.
collocation: metamorphosis of [animal]
In complete metamorphosis, an insect passes through four stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult.
Unlike butterflies, grasshoppers develop directly from nymph to adult without a pupal stage, so biologists call this incomplete metamorphosis.
The lab assistant, João, carefully recorded the metamorphosis of each caterpillar inside the glass tanks.
- development
broader term; metamorphosis is a specific type of development with distinct stages
- transformation
less technical; can apply to any change, while metamorphosis is the specific biological process
用法筆記
In biology, 'metamorphosis' is a technical term. The uncountable form (e.g., 'undergo metamorphosis') is more common in general scientific descriptions, while the countable form refers to a specific instance (e.g., 'the metamorphosis of this species').