Standard Lemma guide

shapeshifter

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

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˈʃeɪpʃɪftə/
  • General-American: /ˈʃeɪp.ʃɪf.tɚ/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A person or creature capable of changing their appearance or form at will.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: fantasy, human-sciences, literature, media, mysticism, mythology, philosophy, publishing, science-fiction, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A person who is inconsistent and elusive.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From shape + shifter.

Across languages

Translations

28 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: canviaformes — creature capable of changing its appearance
  • Dutch: gedaanteverwisselaar — creature capable of changing its appearance
  • Finnish: muodonmuuttaja — creature capable of changing its appearance
  • French: métamorphe — creature capable of changing its appearance
  • German: Gestaltwandler — creature capable of changing its appearance
  • German: Gestaltwandlerin — creature capable of changing its appearance
  • German: Formwandler — creature capable of changing its appearance
  • German: Formwandlerin — creature capable of changing its appearance
  • Hungarian: alakváltó — creature capable of changing its appearance
  • Italian: mutaforma — creature capable of changing its appearance
  • Latin: trānsfigūrāns — creature capable of changing its appearance
  • Latin: trānsfōrmāns — creature capable of changing its appearance
  • Latin: mūtāns — creature capable of changing its appearance
  • Norwegian Bokmål: hamløper — creature capable of changing its appearance
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: hamløypar — creature capable of changing its appearance
  • Polish: zmiennokształtny — creature capable of changing its appearance
  • Portuguese: transmorfo — creature capable of changing its appearance
  • Russian: о́боротень (óborotenʹ) — creature capable of changing its appearance
  • Spanish: cambiante — creature capable of changing its appearance
  • Spanish: mutaforma — creature capable of changing its appearance
  • Spanish: metamórfico — creature capable of changing its appearance
  • Spanish: metamorfo — creature capable of changing its appearance
  • Spanish: cambiaforma — creature capable of changing its appearance
  • Swahili: mgeuzi — creature capable of changing its appearance
  • Swahili: kibadilishaumbo — creature capable of changing its appearance
  • Swedish: hamnskiftare — creature capable of changing its appearance
  • Swedish: hamnlöpare — creature capable of changing its appearance
  • Ukrainian: пере́вертень (perévertenʹ) — creature capable of changing its appearance