transmogrification

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

transmogrification
    n 1: the act of changing into a different form or appearance
         (especially a fantastic or grotesque one); "the
         transmogrification of the prince into a porcupine"

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Transmogrification \Trans*mog`ri*fi*ca"tion\, n.
   The act of transmogrifying, or the state of being
   transmogrified; transformation. [Colloq.]
   [1913 Webster]

         Clive, who wrote me about the transmogrification of our
         schoolfellow, an attorney's son.         --Thackeray.
   [1913 Webster]