Alter
Pronunciation
- Rhymes: -É”ËltÉ™(ɹ)
- Homophones: altar
Alternative forms
- altre obsolete
Origin
From Old French alterer (French altérer), from Medieval Latin alterare ("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.
Full definition of alter
Verb
- (transitive) To change the form or structure of.
- Bible, Psalms lxxxix. 34My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.
- ShakespeareNo power in Venice can alter a decree.
- Alexander PopeIt gilds all objects, but it alters none.
- (intransitive) To become different.
- (transitive) To tailor clothes to make them fit.
- (transitive) To castrate, neuter or spay (a dog or other animal).
- (transitive, obsolete) To agitate; to affect mentally.