Mods

Part of speech: noun, verb

Definitions

1. Alterations or changes made to something to improve, customize, or update it ; individuals who serve as moderators in online forums or communities to enforce rules and manage discussions ; abbreviated forms referring to modifications in software, hardware, or games that alter the original content or functionality
2. Adjustments or enhancements applied to objects or systems to tailor them ; persons assigned to oversee and regulate conversation or activity in digital environments ; shortened term for modifications introduced in technological or entertainment products to change their behavior or appearance
3. Customizations or tweaks implemented to alter or optimize items or programs ; volunteers or officials responsible for maintaining order and guiding interactions in virtual spaces ; concise label for alterations made to software, gadgets, or games that differ from their standard versions

Etymology: "Mods" is the plural of "mod," and the source ties that abbreviation to "mad" by way of a Jamaican pronunciation, which is the only origin the source offers. The shortening is a clipping of "modification," the word people used for changing a machine or a piece of software. The plural form is what a player meets when browsing a game's community page or a download site, where a long list of user-made changes is offered at once. The noun can also be a verb, so developers and players may speak of modding a game, meaning to alter it, though the source does not say when that sense arose.

Synonyms: modifications, modulators, moderators

Antonyms: originals, unmodified, extremists