metameric

adjective

meta·​mer·​ic ˌme-tə-ˈmer-ik 

-ˈmir-

1

a

: composed of metameres : exhibiting bodily metamerism : segmental

metameric animals

a metameric body plan

b

: of, relating to, or occurring in a metamere

metameric arrangement of lateral blood vessels in the abdominal wall

2

: of, relating to, or being either of two colors that appear identical to the eye but are composed of different combinations of wavelengths of light

a metameric pair of color samples

metamerically

ˌme-tə-ˈmer-i-k(ə-)lē 

-ˈmir-

adverb

a metamerically segmented animal

Word History

Etymology

(sense 1) metamere + -ic entry 1, after German metamerisch; (sense 2) German metamer "metameric" (from meta- meta- + -mer -merous) + -ic entry 1

Note: The German adjective metamer was introduced by the Baltic German chemist and philosopher Wilhelm Ostwald (1853-1932). The term was used in his Mathematische Farbenlehre, Book One of Die Farbenlehre, (Leipzig, 1918), p. 237 passim. Ostwald was presumably inspired by the use of metamer in chemistry to refer to compounds belonging to different families but having the same molecular weight and same percentage composition.

First Known Use

1875, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Medical Definition

metameric

adjective

meta·​mer·​ic ˌmet-ə-ˈmer-ik 

1

: relating to or exhibiting chemical metamerism : isomeric

2

a

: composed of metameres : exhibiting bodily metamerism : segmental

a metameric animal

b

: of, relating to, or occurring in a metamere

metameric arrangement of lateral blood vessels in the abdominal wall

3

: of, relating to, or being color metamers

a metameric pair of color samples

metamerically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb