— transmutational, transmutative /trans myooh"teuh tiv, tranz-/ , adj. — transmutationist , n.
/trans'myooh tay"sheuhn, tranz'-/ , n.
1. the act or process of transmuting.
2. the fact or state of being transmuted.
3. change into another nature, substance, form, or condition.
4. Biol. the transformation of one species into another. Cf. transformism .
5. Physics. any process in which a nuclide is transformed into a different nuclide, usually one of a different element.
6. Alchemy. the supposed conversion of base metals into metals of greater value, esp. into gold or silver.
[ 1350-1400; ME transmutacio ( u ) n ( transmutation ) transmutation- (s. of transmutatio ) a changing, shifting, equiv. to transmutat ( us ) (ptp. of transmutare to change) + -ion- -ION. See TRANSMUTE, -ATION ]