anamorphosis n.

before vowels an-, word-forming element meaning: 1. "upward, up in place or time," 2. "back, backward, against," 3. "again, anew," from Greek ana (prep.) "up, on, upon; up to, toward; throughout; back, backwards; again, anew," from an extended form of PIE root *an- (1) "on, upon, above" (see on, which is the English cognate). In old medical prescriptions, ana by itself meant "an equal quantity of each."

"distorted, relating to distortion," 1904, in geology in reference to certain metamorphic rocks; see anamorphosis + -ic. Cinematographic use dates from 1954 in reference to lenses to fit wide-screen pictures onto standard screens.

"distorted projection or perspective," 1836; see anamorphosis + -ism.