Meanings
nounholometabolism (uncountable)
- uncountablebiologyThe complete metamorphosis of an insect
Synonyms & antonyms
Also see
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*solh₂-
- Proto-Indo-European*solh₂wós
- Ancient Greekὅλος (hólos)
- Englishholo-
- Proto-Indo-European*me
- Proto-Indo-European*meth₂?
- Ancient Greekμετᾰ́ (metắ)
- Ancient Greekμετα- (meta-)
- Proto-Indo-European*gʷelH-
- Proto-Hellenic*gʷəlnō
- Ancient Greekβάλλω (bállō)
- Ancient Greekμεταβάλλω (metabállō)
- Ancient Greekμετᾰβολή (metăbolḗ)
- Englishmetabolism
- Englishholometabolism
From holo- + metabolism.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
holometabolism. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/holometabolism
MLA
“holometabolism.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/holometabolism. Accessed November 4, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “holometabolism,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/holometabolism.
Source: holometabolism on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.