From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishldoce_222_emetamorphosismet‧a‧mor‧pho‧sis /ˌmetəˈmɔːfəsɪs $ -ˈmɔːr-/ noun (plural metamorphoses /-siːz/) [countable, uncountable] 1 formalCHANGE FROM ONE THING TO ANOTHER a process in which something changes completely into something very different SYN transformation It took me some time to undergo the metamorphosis from teacher to lecturer. the metamorphosis of China under Deng’s economic reforms2 HBa process in which a young insect, frog etc changes into another stage in its development Beetles undergo a complete metamorphosis in their life cycle.
Examples from the Corpus
metamorphosis• Those lacking confidence in their own scientific skills and knowledge, are undergoing a metamorphosis with a 20-day course at Teesside Polytechnic.• In one of my close acquaintances at B.P., rationing and shortages seemed to effect an eccentric metamorphosis.• When this imperceptible metamorphosis took place, it would not be long before another marriage was arranged.• Books and movies appear to be undergoing the same kind of metamorphosis worldwide that is transforming the music business.• Allocating them to niches of higher or lower favour on a cabbalistic tree, they claimed to detect some principle of metamorphosis.• Further spotlighting that metamorphosis, Bush's budget used tones of moderation to describe its effort to rein in spending.• At the piano chord to signal the metamorphosis, the panel flies open revealing the picture of a dead face.• The metamorphosis was something to behold.Origin metamorphosis (1500-1600) Latin Greek, from meta- ( → META-) + morphe “shape” 