mutate

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mu·tate / ˈmyoōˌtāt/ • v. change or cause to change in form or nature: [intr.] technology continues to mutate at an alarming rate | [tr.] the quick-dry solution really worked, even if it did mutate the skin on her fingers to reptilian scales. ∎  Biol. (with reference to a cell, DNA molecule, etc.) undergo or cause to undergo change in a gene or genes: [intr.] the virus is able to mutate into new forms that are immune to the vaccine | [tr.] certain nucleotides were mutated. DERIVATIVES: mu·ta·tor / -ˌtātər/ n.

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