transmute

/trænzˈmjuːt/ (bre, ipa) · /trænzˈmjuːt/ (ame, ipa) · /tran(t)s-ˈmyüt How to pronounce transmute (audio) tranz-/ (ame, mw)

transmute — verb

  • transmutepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • transmuteshe / she / it
  • transmutedpast simple
  • transmuting-ing form

1. to make a fundamental change to the nature, quality, or form of something, usual

1.動詞及物C1
釋義

to make a fundamental change to the nature, quality, or form of something, usually resulting in an improved or more refined condition

例句

Ezra transmuted his childhood pain into a powerful novel that helped many people.

transmute + emotion/experience + into + creative outcome

The chef transmuted simple vegetables into an elegant dish worthy of a Michelin star.

同義詞
  • transform

    Broader and much more common; 'transform' can describe any change, while 'transmute' emphasises a change in essential nature

  • convert

    More practical and technical; 'convert' changes function or use, whereas 'transmute' changes inner quality

  • metamorphose

    More poetic or biological; implies a dramatic, often natural process of change (e.g. caterpillar to butterfly)

反義詞
  • preserve

    Keep something as it is, preventing any change

  • maintain

    Keep something in its existing state without transformation

文法句型

transmute + object + into + new form or state

be transmuted into something

用法筆記

Frequently appears in formal, literary, or scientific writing. The direct object is typically a raw material, emotion, or situation undergoing a deep transformation. Almost always paired with 'into' to specify the resulting form or state.

常見錯誤

❌The magician transmuted a coin into a flower.
✅The magician turned a coin into a flower.
💡'transmute' suggests a profound, often permanent change in nature, not a simple magic trick.