mu ‧ tate /mjuːˈteɪt $ ˈmjuːteɪt/ BrE AmE verb [intransitive]
[ Date: 1700-1800 ; Language: Latin ; Origin: past participle of mutare 'to change' ]
1 . if an animal or plant mutates, it becomes different from others of the same kind, because of a change in its ↑ genetic structure:
Simple organisms like bacteria mutate rapidly.
2 . to change and develop a new form:
Technology continues to mutate at an alarming rate.