transformation
noun
trans·for·ma·tion
ˌtran(t)s-fər-ˈmā-shən
-fȯr-
1
: an act, process, or instance of transforming or being transformed
2
: false hair worn especially by a woman to replace or supplement natural hair
3
a(1)
: the operation of changing (as by rotation or mapping) one configuration or expression into another in accordance with a mathematical rule
especially
: a change of variables or coordinates in which a function of new variables or coordinates is substituted for each original variable or coordinate
(2)
: the formula that effects a transformation
c
: an operation that converts (as by insertion, deletion, or permutation) one grammatical string (such as a sentence) into another
also
: a formal statement of such an operation
4
: genetic modification of a bacterium by incorporation of free DNA from another bacterial cell
also
: genetic modification of a cell by the uptake and incorporation of exogenous DNA
Cite this Entry
“Transformation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/transformation. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.
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