— metaplasmic , adj.
/met"euh plaz'euhm/ , n.
1. Cell Biol. the nonliving matter or inclusions, as starch or pigments, within a cell.
2. Gram.
a. a change in the structure of a word or sentence made by adding, removing, or transposing the sounds or words of which it is composed or the letters that represent them.
b. the formation of oblique cases from a stem other than that of the nominative.
[ 1375-1425; late ME metaplasmus grammatical change, irregularity metaplasmós reforming, remodeling, deriv. of metaplássein to mould differently, remodel. See META-, -PLASM ]