metamorphic

[ met-uh-mawr-fik ]

adjective

1. pertaining to or characterized by change of form, or metamorphosis.
2. Geology. pertaining to or exhibiting structural change or metamorphism.

metamorphic

/ ˌmɛtəˈmɔːfɪk /

adjective

1. relating to or resulting from metamorphosis or metamorphism
2. (of rocks) altered considerably from their original structure and mineralogy by pressure and heat Compare igneous sedimentary

metamorphic

/ mĕt′ə-môr′fĭk /

1. Zoology.
   Relating to metamorphosis.
2. Geology.
   Relating to rocks that have undergone metamorphism. Metamorphic rocks are formed when igneous, sedimentary, or other metamorphic rocks undergo a physical change due to extreme heat and pressure. These changes often produce folded layers or banding in the rocks, and they can also cause pockets of precious minerals to form. The folds and banding can be produced by incomplete segregation of minerals during recrystallization, or they can be inherited from preexisting beds in sedimentary rocks or preexisting layers in igneous rocks. The precious minerals can form as the result of recrystallization when the rocks undergoing metamorphism are subjected to changes in pressure and temperature.

Other Words From

• nonmet·a·morphic adjective
• premet·a·morphic adjective
• unmet·a·morphic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of metamorphic¹

First recorded in 1810–20; meta- + -morphic

Example Sentences

One thing about the PVP that delights Coffey is that it is composed of all three kinds of rock — sedimentary, metamorphic and igneous.

From Los Angeles Times

It’s the sturdy metamorphic rock that underlies the Los Angeles Basin, “the bedrock of this whole area,” Coffey says.

From Los Angeles Times

Corcoran hopes to explore that question by placing plastiglomerates under “metamorphic conditions” in a lab—with heat, pressure, and a bath of mineral-rich fluids, all the factors that help true rock become solidified into the rock record.

From Slate

This was on an afternoon in early March, and Riseborough, 42, a metamorphic actress with a worrying sense of commitment, was seated at a West Village cafe, a basket of vinegar-doused French fries in front of her.

From New York Times

A team co-led by Southwest Research Institute found evidence for hydrothermal or metamorphic activity within the icy dwarf planets Eris and Makemake, located in the Kuiper Belt.

From Science Daily