metamorphosis

Forms

metamorphōsis f (genitive metamorphōsis or metamorphōseōs or metamorphōsios); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek μεταμόρφωσις (metamórphōsis, “transformation”),^[2][3][4] from μεταμορφόω (metamorphóō, “to transform”), made of μετά (metá) and μορφή (morphḗ, “shape, form”).^[5][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

It first appears in the title of Ovid's poem, the Metamorphoses, “transformations”.^[4][3][2]

Semantic evolution

In the early Empire it was used almost only of Ovid's work: the Elder Seneca, Quintilian and Martial refer to it, and Seneca's satire on Claudius jokes that his deification should be added to Ovid's Metamorphoses.^[3] Tertullian has the Greek accusative plural Metamorphoseis,^[2] and Jerome speaks of Ovid's fifteen books.^[3] Fulgentius gives the title to Apuleius' novel as well.^[3]

As an ordinary noun for a transformation it is late: the comedy Querolus has it of things, and Martianus Capella of Mercury and Apollo changed into stars.^[3] Modern Latin uses it in biology.^[1] English borrowed metamorphosis in the 1530s.^[5]

Timeline

• 43 BC–18 AD – Ovid gives his poem the title Metamorphoses.^[4][3]
• 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca's satire mentions Ovid's Metamorphoses.^[3][4]
• c. 160–220 AD – Tertullian refers to the poem with the Greek plural Metamorphoseis.^[2][4]
• early 5th century AD – The Querolus uses it of a transformation of things.^[3][4]
• c. 500 AD – Fulgentius calls Apuleius' novel Metamorphoses.^[3][4]
• 1530s – Borrowed into English as metamorphosis.^[5]

Meanings

Noun

1. A transformation, a change of shape.^[2][3]
2. (plural) The Metamorphoses, title of Ovid's poem and of Apuleius' novel.^[2][3]
3. (New Latin, biology) Metamorphosis.^[1]

Related words

• English metamorphosis

Usage notes

Greek case forms are common: genitive metamorphoseos, genitive plural metamorphoseon, ablative plural metamorphosesi.^[3]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
4. ^ a b c d e f g Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com