mutation

n.	1.	Change; alteration, either in form or qualities. The vicissitude or mutations in the superior globe are no fit matter for this present argument. - Bacon.
	2.	(Biol.) Gradual definitely tending variation, such as may be observed in a group of organisms in the fossils of successive geological levels.
	3.	(Biol.) As now employed (first by de Vries), a cellular process resulting in a sudden inheritable variation (the offspring differing from its parents in some well-marked character or characters) as distinguished from a gradual variation in which the new characters become fully developed only in the course of many generations. The occurrence of mutations, the selection of strains carrying mutations permitting enhanced survival under prevailing conditions, and the mechanism of hereditary of the characters so appearing, are well-established facts; whether and to what extent the mutation process has played the most important part in the evolution of the existing species and other groups of organisms is an unresolved question.
	4.	(Biol.) a variant strain of an organism in which the hereditary variant property is caused by a mutation{3}.

Noun	1.	mutation - (biology) an organism that has characteristics resulting from chromosomal alteration Synonyms: mutant, sport, variation
	2.	mutation - (genetics) any event that changes genetic structure; any alteration in the inherited nucleic acid sequence of the genotype of an organism Synonyms: chromosomal mutation, genetic mutation
	3.	mutation - a change or alteration in form or qualities

MUTATION, French law. This term is synonymous with change, and is particularly applied to designate the change which takes place in the property of a thing in its transmission from one person to another; permutation therefore happens when, the owner of the thing sells, exchanges or gives it. It is nearly synonymous with transfer. (q.v.) Merl. Repert. h.t.

If you dream of seeing an ugly, mutated person or animal which frightens you, then you will soon hear some bad news concerning the family. If you see the type of mutation called morphing, when one things flows into being another thing, this is a warning that a person, or situation is not what they seem to be, 'a wolf in sheep's clothing'.ablaut, acoustic phonetics, alteration, altering, anomaly, articulatory phonetics, avatar, betacism, catabolism, catalysis, change, changing, consubstantiation, departure, deviant, deviation, displacement, evolution, evolving, gradation, heterotopia, innovation, metabolism, metagenesis, metamorphism, metamorphosing, metamorphosis, metastasis, metathesis, metempsychosis, modification, modifying, morphophonemics, mutant, mutated form, novelty, orthoepy, permutation, phonetics, phonology, reincarnation, rhotacism, sound shift, sport, transanimation, transfiguration, transfigurement, transformation, transforming, transformism, translation, translocation, transmigration, transmogrification, transmutation, transmuting, transposition, transubstantiation, turn, umlaut, variant, variation, varying, vicissitude

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