alter

B2 Topic:Cause, Change & Process

US /ˈɔl.təɹ/ UK /ˈɒl.tə/ See IPA manual

Freq #7723

Meanings

1

verb
To change something, or make it different.

They had to alter their plans because of the rain.
2

verb
To change the size or shape of clothes so they fit better.

I had the dress altered to fit my shoulders.
3

verb
To become different.

His mood altered the moment she walked in.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to change something, or... change modify tweak

3 verb · to become different. change

More adapt amend convert differentiate innovate metamorphose revamp rework transform transmogrify

Opposites

preserve

Word family

Forms alteredalteringalters

Derived forms alter-egoalter-globalistalter-globalizationalterabilityalterablealterablyalterativealtereralteringlymind-alteringmisalterprealter

Related forms alterantalteration alternate alternative

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

alter ego
another identity or personality through which someone expresses a different side of themselves

Fixed expression

Proverbs (1)

See all

Circumstances alter cases

Simplified etymology

Alter entered English in the late Middle English period through French, from Latin alter, meaning “other.” It means to change something into something else.

Etymology

From Old French alterer (French altérer), from Medieval Latin alterāre (“to make other”), from Latin alter (“the other”), from al- (seen in alius (“other”), alienus (“of another”), etc.; see alias, alien, etc.) + compar. suffix -ter.

*h₂el- (other) Proto-Indo-European alterer Old French alterō la-med alter Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Cause, Change & Process

External links

# alter

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈɔl.təɹ/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈɒl.tə/
**Frequency rank:** 7723

## Meanings
1. To change something, or make it different.
2. To change the size or shape of clothes so they fit better.
3. To become different.

## Examples
- They had to alter their plans because of the rain.
- I had the dress altered to fit my shoulders.
- His mood altered the moment she walked in.

## Synonyms
- adapt
- amend
- change
- convert
- differentiate
- innovate
- metamorphose
- modify
- revamp
- rework
- transform
- transmogrify

## Antonyms
- preserve

## Derived Forms
- alter-ego
- alter-globalist
- alter-globalization
- alterability
- alterable
- alterably
- alterative
- alterer
- alteringly
- mind-altering
- misalter
- prealter

## Related Forms
- alterant
- alteration
- alternate
- alternative

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *h₂el- (other)
- Root: alterer
- Root: alterō
- Root: alter

## Etymology
From Old French alterer (French altérer), from Medieval Latin alterāre (“to make other”), from Latin alter (“the other”), from al- (seen in alius (“other”), alienus (“of another”), etc.; see alias, alien, etc.) + compar. suffix -ter.

## AI Etymology
Alter comes from Old French alterer (French altérer), from Medieval Latin alterāre (“to make other”), from Latin alter (“the other”), from al- (seen in alius (“other”), alienus (“of another”), etc.; see alias, alien, etc.) plus compar. suffix -ter. The historical line also includes Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- (other) and la-med alterō. The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern verbal form is built from the named base and affix.

## Topics
- Cause, Change & Process

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