Although more science fact than science fiction, when ILM developed the software to handle that special effect (in Willow, 1988) they called it 'Morf. Usage of the word since can probably be traced back to that. (And 'morf' is itself tracable as a contraction of 'metamorphosis' and ultimately works back to the greek 'morphe' meaning shape.
(note of course that the technique had been in use earlier: Star Trek IV had a morph that was fully CGI instead of using live action film -- I imagine that simpler CGI morphs were being done even before that)
Maybe the real OED should be consulted.
(note of course that the technique had been in use earlier: Star Trek IV had a morph that was fully CGI instead of using live action film -- I imagine that simpler CGI morphs were being done even before that)
Maybe the real OED should be consulted.