Standard Lemma guide

metaplasm

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Any change in a word made by altering its letters or sounds.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: rhetoric

Topics: human-sciences, linguistics, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A small particle (often nutrient) within a cell.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: biology, natural-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Latin metaplasmus from Ancient Greek μεταπλασμός (metaplasmós).

Across languages

Translations

20 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: تغيير — linguistics: alteration of a word’s letters or sounds
  • Breton: metaplasmenn — linguistics: alteration of a word’s letters or sounds
  • Catalan: metaplasme — linguistics: alteration of a word’s letters or sounds
  • Danish: metaplasme — linguistics: alteration of a word’s letters or sounds
  • French: métaplasme — linguistics: alteration of a word’s letters or sounds
  • German: Metaplasmus — linguistics: alteration of a word’s letters or sounds
  • Greek: μεταπλασμός (metaplasmós) — linguistics: alteration of a word’s letters or sounds
  • Ancient Greek: μεταπλασμός (metaplasmós) — linguistics: alteration of a word’s letters or sounds
  • Hungarian: metaplazmus — linguistics: alteration of a word’s letters or sounds
  • Japanese: 語音変異 — linguistics: alteration of a word’s letters or sounds
  • Latin: metaplasmus — linguistics: alteration of a word’s letters or sounds
  • Occitan: metaplasme — linguistics: alteration of a word’s letters or sounds
  • Polish: metaplazm — linguistics: alteration of a word’s letters or sounds
  • Portuguese: metaplasmo — linguistics: alteration of a word’s letters or sounds
  • Portuguese: metaplasma — linguistics: alteration of a word’s letters or sounds
  • Russian: метапласм (metaplasm) — linguistics: alteration of a word’s letters or sounds
  • Spanish: metaplasmo — linguistics: alteration of a word’s letters or sounds
  • Finnish: metaplasma — biology: small particle within a cell
  • Polish: metaplazm — biology: small particle within a cell
  • Tagalog: lakdawkaphay — biology: small particle within a cell