/ˈɒl.tə/, /ˈɔːl.tə/, /ˈɔl.təɹ/
OriginFrom Old French alterer (French altérer), from Medieval Latin alterāre (“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.
- ambitransitiveTo change the form or structure of.
“Near-synonym: tweak”
“No power in Venice can alter a decree.”
“Lou's not Times foole, though roſie lips and cheeks
VVithin his bending ſickles compaſſe come,
Loue alters not with his breefe houres and vveekes,
But beares it out euen to the edge of doome:
If this ”
- intransitiveTo become different.
“[…] Passing the song of the hermit bird and the tallying song of my soul, / Victorious song, death’s outlet song, yet varying ever-altering song, […]”
- transitiveTo tailor clothes to make them fit.
- transitiveTo castrate, neuter or spay (a dog or other animal).
- transitiveTo affect mentally, as by psychotropic drugs or illness.
“We don't know if he was altered on alcohol or drugs or anything […]”
- One of the personalities, identities, or selves in a person with dissociative identity disorder or another form of multiplicity.
“While the second goal would be best met if each alter were coconscious, the defendant should be satisfied if at least one competent alter is present to hear what transpires.”
- alt-of, misspellingMisspelling of altar.
“As an alter boy he remembered that walking between the alter and the gates was prohibited for everyone except the priest.”
“The hardest part of being an alter boy was learning Latin. The mass was conducted in Latin and we had to learn to pray in Latin.”
“On the alter, several candles sat unlit. An open bible rested among the candles. Behind the alter, hanging high, a huge cross was affixed to the wall, with a replica of Jesus in rags nailed to it. A s”
Formsalters(present, singular, third-person) · altering(participle, present) · altered(participle, past) · altered(past) · altre(alternative) · alters(plural)