What is the meaning of transmute most accurately?

• A. to transform
• B. to convert from one form or state into another
• C. to cause something to convert into something else
• D. to preserve unchanged

Answer: (B)

Transmute means changing something from one form or state into another. This captures the exact idea of a transformation that alters what something is, not just how it looks. The best option states this precisely as “to convert from one form or state into another,” which directly mirrors the standard meaning.

While to transform is a close idea, it’s a bit broader and emphasizes change in form without specifying the shift into a different state. Saying it’s “to cause something to convert into something else” adds the sense of an external agent causing the change, which isn’t necessary for the core meaning. And preserving unchanged is the opposite of transmute. For example, in alchemy, legends speak of transmuting base metals into gold, illustrating a change in substance and form.