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polymorphism

1. A common variation in the sequence of DNA among individuals. (GENETICS)


2. The existence of certain chemical compounds in more than one crystalline form (see crystal). Usually the various forms are stable under different conditions. In some cases one is always stable, the others being metastable; thus calcium carbonate has a stable hexagonal form calcite and a metastable orthorhombic form aragonite. See also allotropy. (CHEMISTRY)

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