You searched for: “allomorphism
allomorphism
Variability in crystalline form without change in chemical constitution.
allomorphism (s) (noun), allomorphisms (pl)
1. The property of certain chemical substances occurring in different crystalline forms: One example is calcium carbonate that exists as calcite and as aragonite.

Allomorphism refers to the property possessed by certain substances of assuming a different crystalline form while remaining unchanged in chemical constitution.
2. A variant phonological representation of a morpheme: Examples of allomorphism are the final sounds of "bets" and "beds", as well as, "horses" and "oxen" which are allomorphs of the English plural morpheme.

This entry is located in the following units: allo-, all- (page 7) -ism, -ismus (page 4)