Alters

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To change or modify an existing condition, leading to a transformation in characteristics or attributes, and to adjust elements to create a different impact
2. The act of making modifications to something in order to shift its form, characteristics, or effects, as well as the process of varying details for new outcomes
3. To cause a change in form, appearance, or character of something

Etymology: "Alters" is the third-person singular form of "alter", so the core story belongs to the verb itself. It comes from Old French "alterer" (modern French "altérer"), which came from Medieval Latin "alterāre", meaning "to make other." That Latin verb grew from "alter", "the other", built on the Latin root "al-" that also gives us "alius" (other) and "alienus" (of another), and the comparative suffix "-ter" that marks a choice between two. So at its heart, to alter something is literally to make it different from what it was. The word's family is wider than it looks. Words like "alias" and "alien" share that same ancient "other" root, so "alter" is cousin to terms about being somewhere else or someone else. The word "alter ego", a second self, is an English Latin phrase that may be linked to the verb's modern sense, though the connection is uncertain.

Synonyms: changes, modifies, adjusts, transforms, switches

Antonyms: maintains, preserves, retains, keeps, stabilizes