polymorphism
1 synonym for polymorphism, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — The ability to take on different forms or shapes.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
pleomorphism
How to use polymorphism
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
genetic polymorphism
object-oriented polymorphism
exhibit polymorphism
polymorphism in programming
It is mostly a technical term, found in computing, biology and science writing.
Etymology
The word is built from the prefix poly- and -morphism. The programming sense was coined by the British computer scientist Christopher Strachey in 1967.
Full origin of polymorphism →Frequently asked questions
What is polymorphism in programming?
It is a feature that lets a method have several definitions, so it can treat data differently depending on its type.
What does polymorphism mean in biology?
It means two or more distinct forms exist together in the same locality, and they are not joined by intermediate forms.
Who coined polymorphism in computing?
The British computer scientist Christopher Strachey coined the term for programming in 1967.
