Alterably

Part of speech: adverb

Definitions

1. Capable of being changed or modified in some way
2. Open to adjustment or alteration under different circumstances
3. Subject to variation or transformation, reflecting flexibility in approach or outcome

Etymology: "Alterably" is an adverb built from "alterable" plus the suffix "-ly," so its interest lies in the layers stacked beneath it rather than in any dramatic shift of sense. The core is "alter," which comes from Latin "alter," meaning "other," and the idea of making something other than it was. To that root English added "-able," descended through Old French from Latin "-abilis," which marks something capable of being acted upon, producing "alterable" for something that can be changed. The final piece is the English adverbial ending "-ly," which goes back to Old English "-līce," itself rooted in the Germanic word for "body" or "form," so a sense like "in the manner of" gradually attached to the adjective. Adding "-ly" to "alterable" produces "alterably," meaning in a way that can be changed.