Metaplasia
/ˌmɛtəˈpleɪziə/noun
A change from one mature cell type to another, often in response to stress or irritation.
Did you know?Metaplasia comes from Greek roots meaning “to shape/change beyond,” and the same πλασ- root also gave English words tied to molding, making, and even plasticity.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
μετάπλασις (metáplasis)
“a changing or transforming of form”
Late Greek
Greek
μεταπλασία (metaplasía)
“transformation, alteration of shape”
Late Latin
Latin
metaplasia
“a rhetorical or grammatical alteration of form”
19th Century
English
metaplasia
“the change of one tissue or cell type into another”
Modern English
English
metaplasia
“pathological or adaptive change in the form of cells or tissue”
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