Pleomorphism

2 definitions found

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

  Pleomorphism \Ple`o*mor"phism\, n. [Gr. ? more + morfh` form.]
     1. (Crystallog.) The property of crystallizing under two or
        more distinct fundamental forms, including dimorphism and
        trimorphism.
        [1913 Webster]
  


     2. (Biol.) The theory that the various genera of bacteria are
        phases or variations of growth of a number of Protean
        species, each of which may exhibit, according to
        undetermined conditions, all or some of the forms
        characteristic of the different genera and species.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  pleomorphism
       n 1: (chemistry) the existence of different kinds of crystal of
            the same chemical compound [syn: {polymorphism}]
       2: (biology) the appearance of two or more distinctly different
          forms in the life cycle of some organisms