mutate
mutate Lexical Profile
mutate Game Scores & Validity
• verb
To undergo or cause to undergo a genetic change, resulting in new heritable characteristics in a cell, virus, or organism.
"RNA viruses tend to mutate rapidly, making it necessary to update vaccines regularly."
To change or transform into a new or significantly different form or state.
"Over several decades, the small local festival began to mutate into an international cultural event."
To undergo or cause a regular phonetic change in a vowel or consonant sound due to the influence of adjacent sounds (in linguistics).
"In the history of Germanic languages, back vowels often mutate when followed by a high front vowel in the next syllable."
• Rhymes for mutate
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in the 19th century as a back-formation from "mutation," ultimately derived from the Latin verb "mutare" (to change or alter).