alter
pronunciation
How to pronounce alter in British English:
UK [ˈɔːltə(r)]
How to pronounce alter in American English:
US [ˈɔːltər]
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- Verb:
- cause to change; make different; cause a transformation
- make or become different in some particular way, without permanently losing one's or its former characteristics or essence
- make an alteration to
- insert words into texts, often falsifying it thereby
- remove the ovaries of
Word Origin
- alter
- alter: [14] Alter comes from the Latin word for ‘other (of two)’, alter. In late Latin a verb was derived from this, alterāre, which English acquired via French altérer. Latin alter (which also gave French autre and English alternate [16], alternative [17], altercation [14], and altruism, not to mention alter ego) was formed from the root *al- (source of Latin alius – from which English gets alien, alias, and alibi – Greek allos ‘other’, and English else) and the comparative suffix *-tero-, which occurs also in English other.Hence the underlying meaning of Latin alter (and, incidentally, of English other) is ‘more other’, with the implication of alternation between the two.=> alias, alien, alternative, altruism, else
- alter (v.)
- late 14c., "to change (something)," from Old French alterer "change, alter," from Medieval Latin alterare "to change," from Latin alter "the other (of the two)," from PIE *al- "beyond" (see alias (adv.)) + comparative suffix -ter (as in other). Intransitive sense "to become otherwise" first recorded 1580s. Related: Altered; altering.
Antonym
Example
- 1. They alter the way it cleaves amyloid precursor protein .
- 2. The findings might help people intentionally alter their own memories .
- 3. It is unclear whether the suspended approvals for new lines will alter those plans .
- 4. When we alter a photograph for illustrative purposes , we disclose that at the time of publication .
- 5. Caffeine can increase anxiety in some people and can alter your sleep patterns so you are not fully rested .