amorphous

C2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /əˈmɔ(ɹ)fəs/ See IPA manual

Freq #62347

Meanings

1

adj
Having no clear shape or form.

An amorphous cloud of insects hovered over the pond.
2

adj
Lacking a clear structure, character, or organisation.

The committee remained an amorphous group with no real leader or purpose.
3

adj
Not having a crystalline structure; non-crystalline.

Glass is an amorphous solid rather than a true crystal.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · having no clear shape or form. formless shapeless

2 adj · lacking a clear structure,... unstructured

3 adj · not having a crystalline... noncrystallineuncrystallized

More amorphicunshapedunshapely

Opposites

misshapen shapely

Word family

Derived forms amorphismamorphouslyamorphousnessphosphopeptide-amorphouspolyamorphous

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

amorphous shape
a form without clear or regular boundaries

Adjective + noun

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ἄμορφος (ámorphos, “without form, shapeless, deformed”) (itself from ἀ- (a-, “without”) + μορφή (morphḗ, “form”) + -ous. By surface analysis, a- + -morphous.

ἄμορφος Ancient Greek

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# amorphous

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /əˈmɔ(ɹ)fəs/
**Frequency rank:** 62347

## Meanings
1. Having no clear shape or form.
2. Lacking a clear structure, character, or organisation.
3. Not having a crystalline structure; non-crystalline.

## Examples
- An amorphous cloud of insects hovered over the pond.
- The committee remained an amorphous group with no real leader or purpose.
- Glass is an amorphous solid rather than a true crystal.

## Synonyms
- amorphic
- formless
- shapeless
- unshaped
- unshapely

## Antonyms
- misshapen
- shapely

## Derived Forms
- amorphism
- amorphously
- amorphousness
- phosphopeptide-amorphous
- polyamorphous

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: ἄμορφος

## Etymology
From Ancient Greek ἄμορφος (ámorphos, “without form, shapeless, deformed”) (itself from ἀ- (a-, “without”) + μορφή (morphḗ, “form”) + -ous. By surface analysis, a- + -morphous.

## AI Etymology
Amorphous is from Ancient Greek ἄμορφος (ámorphos, “without form, shapeless, deformed”) (itself from ἀ- (a-, “without”) + μορφή (morphḗ, “form”) + -ous. By surface analysis, a- + -morphous. The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern adjectival form is built from the named base and affix. Important recorded forms include ἄμορφος (Ancient Greek). Current senses include having no clear shape or form, lacking a clear structure, character, or organisation, and not having a crystalline structure; non-crystalline. The wider family includes derived forms such as amorphism, amorphously, amorphousness, phosphopeptide-amorphous, and polyamorphous.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

markdown