Design Nomenclature / Form & Geometry
Scale
Also called scaling, non-uniform scale, scale transform, freeze transform
Multiplying coordinates by a factor about a fixed point. Uniform scale preserves angles and shape; non-uniform scale does not, and it distorts normals in a way that requires the inverse-transpose of the matrix to correct — which is why a squashed object shades wrong until its transform is frozen. Negative scale mirrors and reverses winding order.
In practice
The transform, distinct from scale as a compositional relationship between elements. 'Freeze transforms' bakes the matrix into the vertices; skipping it is why exported models arrive at the wrong size with their faces inside out.