polymorphism

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

noun (genetics) the genetic variation within a population that natural selection can operate on
noun (chemistry) the existence of different kinds of crystal of the same chemical compound
noun (biology) the existence of two or more forms of individuals within the same animal species (independent of sex differences)

* (object-oriented programming) Coined by British computer scientist Christopher Strachey in 1967. By surface analysis, poly- + -morphism.

In insect societies there is generally polymorphism, the subdivision of labor is natural, and each individual is riveted by its structure to the function it performs. — Creative Evolution, Bergson, Henri

Type a word, a sentence, a book title, or a link to an English article. WordNet and the Classics answer.

Try

A library of classics · a vault of words · instant etymology & meaning