Anamorphosis

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Anamorphosis \An`a*mor"pho*sis\, n. [Gr. ?, fr. ? to form anew;
     ? again + ? to form; morfh` form.]
     1. (Persp.) A distorted or monstrous projection or
        representation of an image on a plane or curved surface,
        which, when viewed from a certain point, or as reflected
        from a curved mirror or through a polyhedron, appears


        regular and in proportion; a deformation of an image.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Biol.) Same as {Anamorphism}, 2.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. (Bot.) A morbid or monstrous development, or change of
        form, or degeneration.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  anamorphosis
       n 1: the evolution of one type of organism from another by a long
            series of gradual changes [syn: {anamorphism}]
       2: a distorted projection or perspective; especially an image
          distorted in such a way that it becomes visible only when
          viewed in a special manner [syn: {anamorphism}]
       [also: {anamorphoses} (pl)]