shapeshift

English

Etymology

Probably a back-formation from shapeshifter.

Verb

shapeshift (third-person singular simple present shapeshifts, present participle shapeshifting, simple past and past participle shapeshifted)

1. (biology, fantasy, mythology, intransitive) To change one's shape or form (into another) through often magical means, normally applied only to living beings.
   • 2010, Mike Williams, Follow the Shaman's Call: An Ancient Path for Modern Lives, page 91:

     Journey in exactly the same way as you did to shapeshift into your power animal except, this time, set your intention to shapeshift into a named ancestor.

   • 2019, Emily Rayven, Gateway To Brienka:

     I can't shapeshift Zane, I only look like this I always have.

   • 2020, Merlin Sheldrake, Entangled Life, page 57:

     But to embed oneself in an irregular and unpredictable food supply as mycelium does, one must be able to shapeshift.

2. (figuratively, intransitive) To undergo a noticeable change (in character for example), to metamorphosize.
   • 2019, Adam Turner-Heffer, Chelsea Wolfe: Birth of Violence review, The Skinny, September 2019, page 57:

     While Chelsea Wolfe has often shapeshifted in terms of how she presents her music, one thing remains constant: her big mood.

Translations

change shape

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 变身 (zh) (biànshēn), 變身／变身 (zh) (biànshēn)

• Dutch: transfigureren (nl), metamorfoseren (nl), gedaante wisselen
• Finnish: muuttaa muotoa
• German: sich verwandeln, seine Form ändern

Anagrams

• phaseshift