n 1  :  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  2  :  an individual, strain, or trait resulting from mutation mu*ta*tion*al adj mu*ta*tion*al*ly adv 
 
 
 
Similar sounding terms:  me·di·a·tion 
 
Published under license with Merriam-Webster, Incorporated.  © 1997-2026.