metamorphose
Definitions
To change completely in form or nature; to transform
使变形，使彻底改变
(Of an insect or amphibian) to undergo metamorphosis
（昆虫、两栖动物）经历变态发育
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedmeta- (change) + morph (form) + -ose (verb ending) = to change form completely. Not a small adjustment but a total remaking — caterpillar into butterfly, or a shy newcomer into a confident leader.
Root morph still carries 3 more wordsWhy It Means This
The deepest word in this small family. meta- means 'change,' morphē means 'form,' so to metamorphose is literally to swap one shape for another. Ancient Greeks used it for myths of gods turning people into trees and birds — the same idea Ovid collected in his Metamorphoses and Kafka borrowed for his tale of a man who wakes as an insect. Today it spans biology (a caterpillar's literal metamorphosis) and any dramatic figurative change.
Common Collocations
- 1.metamorphose into蜕变成……
- 2.gradually metamorphose逐渐蜕变
- 3.completely metamorphose彻底变形
Example Sentences
- 1.
The tadpole will metamorphose into a frog within weeks.
- 2.
The sleepy town metamorphosed into a bustling resort.
- 3.
Over the year, she metamorphosed from intern to manager.
Easily Confused
metamorphose vs transform — Both mean 'change form,' but metamorphose implies a complete, often staged change of nature (caterpillar → butterfly) and feels literary or scientific. transform is the everyday, broader word and can be partial. You metamorphose into a new being; you transform a room with paint.