The Collaborative International Dictionary
Transformism
Transformism \Trans*form"ism\, n. [F. transformisme.] (Biol.)
The hypothesis, or doctrine, that living beings have
originated by the modification of some other previously
existing forms of living matter; -- opposed to abiogenesis.
--Huxley.
Wiktionary
transformism
n. 1 (context uncountable English) the doctrine that living organisms have evolved from previously existing forms of living matter 2 (context countable English) any particular version of the doctrine of transformism