metamorphic
metamorphic — adjective
- metamorphicpositive
- more metamorphiccomparative
- most metamorphicsuperlative
1. Describes rock whose original form has been transformed by extreme heat or press
Describes rock whose original form has been transformed by extreme heat or pressure deep within the Earth's crust, producing a new internal structure and mineral composition.
Tariq collected samples of metamorphic rock — marble and slate — during his Alps trip.
common types: marble, slate
The mountain range is made of metamorphic stone that formed when ancient seabeds were buried.
Deep underground, high pressure turns soft sediment into hard metamorphic rock over millions of years.
Ayana's geology textbook explained how heat can change limestone into metamorphic marble.
Marble and slate are common metamorphic rocks that people use for roofing and sculpture.
- transformed
less specific; can describe any kind of change, not just geological
- altered
more general and less technical than 'metamorphic'
- sedimentary
describes rock formed from compressed sediment, not transformed by heat/pressure
- igneous
describes rock formed from cooled magma or lava, not from pre-existing rock
文法句型
metamorphic + noun (rock / stone / marble / slate)
用法筆記
Subject is almost always a type of rock or mineral. The three main metamorphic rock types are marble (from limestone), slate (from shale), and schist (from mudstone). This sense belongs to geology — do not use it to describe biological change.
常見錯誤
2. Relating to the natural process in which a living thing develops through clearly
Relating to the natural process in which a living thing develops through clearly different stages, each with a completely different body shape and way of life.
The metamorphic change from a caterpillar to a butterfly takes about two weeks.
metamorphic + change + life-cycle example
Michael studied the metamorphic development of tadpoles as they grew legs and lost their tails.
Eve's science fair project showed how metamorphic changes in frogs are controlled by hormones.
Some beetles have a metamorphic life cycle with egg, larva, pupa, and adult stages.
Tamar explained why the metamorphic process of the dragonfly differs from that of the butterfly.
- transformative
broader meaning; can apply to any dramatic change, not just biological life cycles
- developmental
focuses on growth stages but does not imply a complete change of body form
文法句型
metamorphic + noun (change / process / stage / development / cycle)
用法筆記
Used mainly in biology to describe the life-cycle transitions of insects (butterflies, beetles, dragonflies) and amphibians (frogs, salamanders). Distinguish from sense 1 (geological) — sense 2 always refers to a living organism.