■ noun
1》 the action or process of changing in form or nature.
↘a change.
2》 a change in the structure of a gene resulting in a variant form which may be transmitted to subsequent generations.
↘a distinct form resulting from genetic ~.
3》 Linguistics (in Celtic languages) change of an initial consonant in a word caused by the preceding word.
↘(in Germanic languages) the umlaut process.
Derivatives
~al adjective
~ally adverb
Origin
ME: from L. mutatio(n-) , from mutare 'to change'.