polymorphisticadj.
/ˌpɒlɪmɔːˈfɪstɪk/, U.S. /ˈˌpɑliˌmɔrˈfɪstɪk/ Biology. rare.
Of or relating to polymorphism.
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the world > life > biology > biological processes > genetic activity > heredity or hereditary descent > [adjective] > occurrence of variant forms
polymorphous1773
polytypic1858
polymorphic1859
heteromorphic1864
polytypical1890
polymorphistic1897
morphic1955
1897 Nat. Sci. Aug. 107 We find in Kützing the belief that lower algae transform themselves into higher forms, even into moss-protonema. Hitherto these polymorphistic ideas..have not succeeded in establishing themselves.
1910 Encycl. Brit. I. 595/2 Until the conditions under which a particular transformation takes place have been ascertained and described.., scant credence is likely to be given to the more extreme polymorphistic views.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2006; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1897