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mutar

to mutate; to change

verb moo-TAHR Rare
Body & Health Health & Illness

Origin: From Latin mutare, 'to change'.

Usage Note

Mutar is used both in biology (viruses, cells mutan) and more broadly to mean 'to undergo a fundamental change'. The related noun mutación is the standard term for a genetic mutation. In biology mutar is often intransitive (el virus mutó), while mutar algo (transitive) means 'to cause something to mutate'.

Examples

"El virus mutó y se volvió más resistente."

Natural Translation

The virus mutated and became more resistant.

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