Altered
/ˈɔːltərd/
verbBeginnerCommonGeneral
Meaning
Question
Definitions
1
To make changes to something, usually in a significant way.
/ˈɔːltərd/
verbneutralBeginner
General
To change or modify something
He altered the course of the river.
💡 Simply: To change something.
More Examples
2
The software has been altered to fix the bug.
How It's Used
General
"The artist altered the painting to improve its composition."
Science
"The experiment's results were altered by unforeseen factors."
From Old English *altrēodan, past participle of *altrēdan "to change entirely, alter," from *alter- "other" + *trēdan "to tread, walk, go." The modern sense developed from the idea of changing the course or state of something.
While the root suggests a sense of 'changing entirely,' the modern usage often implies more subtle changes.
Memory tip
Think of 'altering' your clothes – you're changing them.
Practice
Base: alter
altheredalterd
Usage
30%Spoken
70%Written