mutation
/mjuːˈteɪʃən/noun
mass noun
1
- the action or process of mutating变化：
the mutation of ethnic politics into nationalist politics
种族政治向民族主义政治的改变
count noun his first novel went through several mutations.他的第一部小说改动了好几次。
2
- the changing of the structure of a gene, resulting in a variant form which may be transmitted to subsequent generations, caused by the alteration of single base units in DNA, or the deletion, insertion, or rearrangement of larger sections of genes or chromosomes（基因结构的）突变。
2.1
- count noun a distinct form resulting from such a change（基因结构突变产生的）突变体, 突变型。
3
- Linguistics regular change of a sound when it occurs adjacent to another, in particular【语言学】语音变异, 尤指：
3.1
- (in Celtic languages) change of an initial consonant in a word caused (historically) by the preceding word（凯尔特语族）首辅音变异。参见LENITION.
3.2
- (in Germanic languages) the process by which the quality of a vowel was altered in certain phonetic contexts; umlaut（日耳曼语系）元音变化。
派生词
mutational
adjectivemutationally
adverbmutative
adjective词源
late Middle English: from Latin mutatio（n-）, from mutare 'to change'.