Mutation

4 definitions found

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

  mutation \mu*ta"tion\ (m[-u]*t[=a]"sh[u^]n), n. [L. mutatio, fr.
     mutare to change: cf. F. mutation. See {Mutable}.]
     Change; alteration, either in form or qualities.
     [1913 Webster]
  
           The vicissitude or mutations in the superior globe are


           no fit matter for this present argument. --Bacon.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Biol.) Gradual definitely tending variation, such as may
        be observed in a group of organisms in the fossils of
        successive geological levels.
        [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
  
     3. (Biol.)
        (a) As now employed (first by de Vries), a cellular
            process resulting in a sudden inheritable variation
            (the offspring differing from its parents in some
            well-marked character or characters) as distinguished
            from a gradual variation in which the new characters
            become fully developed only in the course of many
            generations. The occurrence of mutations, the
            selection of strains carrying mutations permitting
            enhanced survival under prevailing conditions, and the
            mechanism of hereditary of the characters so
            appearing, are well-established facts; whether and to
            what extent the mutation process has played the most
            important part in the evolution of the existing
            species and other groups of organisms is an unresolved
            question.
        (b) The result of the above process; a suddenly produced
            variation.
  
     Note: Mutations can occur by a change in the fundamental
           coding sequence of the hereditary material, which in
           most organisms is DNA, but in some viruses is RNA. It
           can also occur by rearrangement of an organism's
           chromosomes. Specific mutations due to a change in DNA
           sequence have been recognized as causing certain
           specific hereditary diseases. Certain processes which
           produce variation in the genotype of an organism, such
           as sexual mixing of chromosomes in offspring, or
           artificially induced recombination or introduction of
           novel genetic material into an organism, are not
           referred to as mutation.
           [Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC]
  
     4. (Biol.) a variant strain of an organism in which the
        hereditary variant property is caused by a mutation[3].
        [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  mutation
       n 1: (biology) an organism that has characteristics resulting
            from chromosomal alteration [syn: {mutant}, {variation},
             {sport}]
       2: (genetics) any event that changes genetic structure; any
          alteration in the inherited nucleic acid sequence of the
          genotype of an organism [syn: {genetic mutation}, {chromosomal
          mutation}]
       3: a change or alteration in form or qualities

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  64 Moby Thesaurus words for "mutation":
     ablaut, acoustic phonetics, alteration, altering, anomaly,
     articulatory phonetics, avatar, betacism, catabolism, catalysis,
     change, changing, consubstantiation, departure, deviant, deviation,
     displacement, evolution, evolving, gradation, heterotopia,
     innovation, metabolism, metagenesis, metamorphism, metamorphosing,
     metamorphosis, metastasis, metathesis, metempsychosis,
     modification, modifying, morphophonemics, mutant, mutated form,
     novelty, orthoepy, permutation, phonetics, phonology,
     reincarnation, rhotacism, sound shift, sport, transanimation,
     transfiguration, transfigurement, transformation, transforming,
     transformism, translation, translocation, transmigration,
     transmogrification, transmutation, transmuting, transposition,
     transubstantiation, turn, umlaut, variant, variation, varying,
     vicissitude
  
  

From Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856) [bouvier]:

  MUTATION, French law. This term is synonymous with change, and is 
  particularly applied to designate the change which takes place in the 
  property of a thing in its transmission from one person to another; 
  permutation therefore happens when, the owner of the thing sells, exchanges 
  or gives it. It is nearly synonymous with transfer. (q.v.) Merl. Repert. 
  h.t.