deform
Meanings
- Having an unusual and unattractive shape; deformed, misshapen; hence, hideous, ugly.
- To change the form of (something), usually thus making it disordered or irregular; to give (something) an abnormal or unusual shape.
- To alter the shape of (something) by applying a force or stress.
- To change the look of (something), usually thus making it imperfect or unattractive; to give (something) an abnormal or unusual appearance.
- To mar the character or quality of (something).
- To become changed in shape or misshapen.
Pronunciation
Word forms
Etymology
PIE word *de From Middle English deforme (“out of shape, deformed”) [and other forms], from Middle French deforme (modern French difforme (“misshapen, deformed”)), or directly from its etymon Latin dēfōrmis (“departing physically from the correct shape, deformed, malformed, misshapen, ugly; (figuratively) departing morally from the correct quality, base, disgraceful, shameful, unbecoming”), from dē- (prefix meaning ‘away from; from’) + fōrma (“form, appearance, figure, shape; fine form, beauty; design, outline, plan; model, pattern; mould, stamp; (figuratively) kind, manner, sort”) (further etymology unknown; perhaps related to Ancient Greek μορφή (morphḗ, “form, shape; appearance; outline; kind, type”), probably from Pre-Greek, but there is no consensus) + -is (suffix forming adjectives of the third declension).