allomorph Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun any of several different crystalline forms of the same chemical compound
    • calcium carbonate occurs in the allomorphs calcite and aragonite
  2. noun a variant phonological representation of a morpheme
    • the final sounds of `bets' and `beds' and `horses' and `oxen' are allomorphs of the English plural morpheme

WordNet

Al"lo*morph noun
Etymology
Gr. other + form.
Definitions
  1. (Min.) (a) Any one of two or more distinct crystalline forms of the same substance; or the substance having such forms; -- as, carbonate of lime occurs in the allomorphs calcite and aragonite. (b) A variety of pseudomorph which has undergone partial or complete change or substitution of material; -- thus limonite is frequently an allomorph after pyrite. G. H. Williams.

Webster 1913