What is "paramorphism"

Paramorphism \Par`a*mor"phism\, n. (Min.) The change of one mineral species to another, so as to involve a change in physical characters without alteration of chemical composition.

n. (context geology English) a change in the physical structure of a mineral without any chemical change

A paramorphism (from Greek παρά, meaning "close together") is an extension of the concept of catamorphism first introduced by Lambert Meertens to deal with a form which “eats its argument and keeps it too”, as exemplified by the factorial function. Its categorical dual is the apomorphism.