neomorphicadj.
/nɪəˈmɔːfɪk/, U.S. /ˌnioʊˈmɔrfɪk/ 1. Geology.† a. Of rock: altered in form after crystallization from magma. Obsolete. rare.
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1895 Amer. Naturalist 29 997 The original rocks are the archaiomorphic, embracing those whose constituents have separated from a molten magma. Through alteration processes these have given rise to the neomorphic rocks, including..:anthi-lytomorphic, allothi-stereomorphic and anthi-neomorphic.
b. Of or relating to neomorphism; that has undergone neomorphism (neomorphism n. 2).
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1965 R. L. Folk in L. C. Pray & R. C. Murray Dolomitization & Limestone Diagenesis (Soc. Econ. Paleontologists & Mineralogists Special Publ. No. 13) 24/2 Neomorphic calcite is susceptible to some further detail.
1980 Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) B. 288 518 Lithoclasts are of calcite showing patchy neomorphic replacement and a marginal alteration to phosphate.
1991 R. Goldring Fossils in Field iv. 73 Neomorphic preservation (calcitization) is mostly associated with massive colonies (because they were less permeable).
2. Biology. Designating or relating to a neomorph (neomorph n. 1).
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the world > life > biology > biological processes > genetic activity > genetic components > [adjective] > allele > types of allele
neomorphic1903
amorphic1932
hypermorphic1932
hypomorphic1932
diallelic1944
isoallelic1944
1903 Rep. Brit. Assoc. Advancem. Sci. 1902 631 Madagascar has yielded a Physa (P. lamellata) with a neomorphic gill, a character shared by species of Planorbis (P. corneus and P. marginatus).
1922 W. Garstang in Jrnl. Linn. Soc.: Zool. 35 99 I propose in future to use palæogenetic and neogenetic when referring to ontogenetic processes, and palæomorphic and neomorphic when contrasting primitive and modified types of structure.
1940 G. R. de Beer Embryos & Ancestors xiv. 89 A palaeomorphic character may of course..have made its first appearance in early stages of ontogeny. Conversely, characters of more recent origin, to which Garstang applies the term neomorphic, may have originated in terminal ontogenetic or adult stages.
1979 Nature 25 Oct. 670/1 Various lines of evidence suggest that the earliest eutherians maintained this general pattern, adding a neomorphic vessel, the promontory artery, which crossed the lateral side of the promontorium.
1986 Jrnl. Paleontol. 60 418 The posterior cingulum in macropodids is a neomorphic structure, and not homologous with the posterior cingulum..in potoroids and phalangerids.
1997 Science 7 Mar. 1451/2 We interpret the elongated rods in Coelurosauravus as neomorphic dermal ossifications that formed the internal support of a lateral gliding membrane.
3. Genetics. That results in a qualitative alteration of function; of, relating to, or creating a neomorph (neomorph n. 2).
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1932 H. J. Muller in Proc. 6th Internat. Congr. Genetics I. 245 (heading) Neomorphic mutations.
1957 Science 11 Oct. 689/1 A mutant gene that is neomorphic in nature..may be tolerable when it is suppressed by a gene at another locus.
1965 Science 26 Nov. 1129/2 (note) According to Muller's classification there are amorphic, hypomorphic, hypermorphic, antimorphic, and neomorphic mutants.
1996 Proc. National Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 93 14940/2 It is notable that in these cases the neomorphic mutations have both gain-of-function and loss-of-function characteristics.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2003; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1895