Main Entry: mu·ta·tion

Pronunciation: \myü-ˈtā-shən\

Function: noun

Date: 14th century

1 : a significant and basic alteration : change
2 : umlaut
3 a : a relatively permanent change in hereditary material involving either a physical change in chromosome relations or a biochemical change in the codons that make up genes; also : the process of producing a mutation b : an individual, strain, or trait resulting from mutation

— mu·ta·tion·al \-shnəl, -shə-n^əl\ adjective

— mu·ta·tion·al·ly adverb