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'''Morphology''' is the branch of [[biology]] that deals with the structure of plants and animals. The term is also used to refer to the physical appearance, i.e. size, shape, color, texture, and location of something, e.g. the morphology of a cancerous mole versus a benign one. The terms morphology and anatomy are almost synonymous | '''Morphology''' is the branch of [[biology]] that deals with the structure of plants and animals, and with relationships between their structures. The term is also used to refer to the physical appearance, i.e. size, shape, color, texture, and location of something, e.g. the morphology of a cancerous mole versus a benign one. | ||
The terms morphology and anatomy are almost synonymous and are often used interchangeably. However, morphology is more likely to be used in relation to plants and comparative anatomy, while the term anatomy is more likely to be used in relation to animals, epecially mammals, and humans in particular. In medicine, morphology more often refers to the study of shape, general appearance, or form of a person's body (see also [[somatotype]]), as distinct from anatomy, which requires dissection to reveal structure. | |||
Related words: | |||
*[[physiognomy]] | |||
:#the form and structure of natural communities | |||
:#a person's facial features or expression, especially in relation to the indication of character or ethnic origin. | |||
• the branch of biology that deals with the form of living organisms, and with relationships between their structures. • (Linguistics) the study of the forms of words, in particular inflected forms. | |||
2. a particular form, shape, or structure. | |||
- ORIGIN mid 19th cent.: from Greek morph ‘form’ + -logy. | |||
Revision as of 18:58, 19 February 2007
Morphology is the branch of biology that deals with the structure of plants and animals, and with relationships between their structures. The term is also used to refer to the physical appearance, i.e. size, shape, color, texture, and location of something, e.g. the morphology of a cancerous mole versus a benign one.
The terms morphology and anatomy are almost synonymous and are often used interchangeably. However, morphology is more likely to be used in relation to plants and comparative anatomy, while the term anatomy is more likely to be used in relation to animals, epecially mammals, and humans in particular. In medicine, morphology more often refers to the study of shape, general appearance, or form of a person's body (see also somatotype), as distinct from anatomy, which requires dissection to reveal structure.
Related words:
- the form and structure of natural communities
- a person's facial features or expression, especially in relation to the indication of character or ethnic origin.
• the branch of biology that deals with the form of living organisms, and with relationships between their structures. • (Linguistics) the study of the forms of words, in particular inflected forms. 2. a particular form, shape, or structure.
- ORIGIN mid 19th cent.: from Greek morph ‘form’ + -logy.