polymorphic
adjectiveUK /ˌpɒlɪˈmɔːfɪk/
US /ˌpɑːliˈmɔːrfɪk/
Able to take many different shapes or forms.
The polymorphic crystal can grow into several different shapes.
RELATED WORDS
OTHER MEANINGS
2. In biology, having more than one distinct form at different stages of life or within one species.
The polymorphic butterfly looks completely different as a caterpillar and as an adult.
3. In computing, describing a function or object that can work with different data types.
The polymorphic function handles both numbers and text without extra code.
4. In genetics, having multiple common variants of a gene in a population.
The polymorphic gene appears in several common versions among humans.