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.

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

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 ->

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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alter

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