Oligomorphic

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. A phenomenon marked by the presence of a restricted variety of forms or shapes
2. A condition where only a small number of distinct variations exist within a particular context
3. Characterized by the presence of only a limited number of distinct shapes or forms

Etymology: "Oligomorphic" is built from two Greek-derived parts: "oligo-", from the Greek "oligos" meaning "few" or "little," and "-morphic," from "morphe," meaning "form" or "shape." Put together, the word describes something that takes only a small number of forms, or a phenomenon limited to a restricted variety of shapes. The word is a technical coinage rather than an ancient term. Like many scientific adjectives built from classical roots, it was assembled from existing Greek building blocks to name a specific idea, so the Greeks themselves would not have recognised it. The same pattern appears in "polymorphic," meaning "having many forms," which uses the opposite prefix "poly-" for "many." Oligomorphic is the mirror image of that word, so anyone familiar with the older term can readily work out its sense.