formenkreis

noun

for·​men·​kreis

ˈfȯrmənˌkrīs

plural formenkreise

-īzə

or formenkreises

-īsə̇z

: a polytypic species (as of birds)

Word History

Etymology

German, literally, cycle of forms, from formen, plural of form (from Middle High German forme, from Latin forma) + kreis circle, cycle

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