alter

(ôl'tər)

v., -tered, -ter·ing, -ters.

v.tr.

1. To change or make different; modify: altered my will.
2. To adjust (a garment) for a better fit.
3. To castrate or spay (an animal, such as a cat or a dog).

v.intr.
To change or become different.

[Middle English alteren, from Old French alterer, from Medieval Latin alterāre, from Latin alter, other.]

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verb

1. To make or become different: change, modify, mutate, turn, vary. See change/persist.
2. To render incapable of reproducing sexually: castrate, fix, geld, neuter, spay, sterilize, unsex. See reproduction/barrenness, rich/poor.

v

Definition: change
Antonyms: continue, fix, keep, let stand, maintain, preserve, remain, retain, sustain

IN BRIEF: To change; to make or become different.

. . . whenever any form of government becomes destructive . . . it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it. . . — Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826); American statesman; third U.S. president (1801-1809); wrote Declaration of Independence.

Tutor's tip: An "altar" is a raised table used for a religious service. To "alter" is to change or adjust something. Do the members of the church want to alter the altar?

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Euphemism for castration of a male animal; sometimes used as a synonym for spay of a female. Called also cut, geld.

For a list of words related to alter, see:

• Animal Types and Parts - alter: (vb) neuter a male animal

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See words rhyming with "alter."

  See crossword solutions for the clue Alter.

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Dansk (Danish)
v. tr. - ændre, forandre
v. intr. - ændre sig, forandre sig

idioms:

• alter ego    alter ego, andet jeg

Nederlands (Dutch)
(zich) wijzigen, castreren,

Français (French)
v. tr. - changer, modifier, transformer, adapter, ajuster, retoucher, remanier, falsifier, fausser, (US) châtrer, castrer
v. intr. - changer, s'améliorer

idioms:

• alter ego    alter ego

Deutsch (German)
v. - sich verändern, ändern, sterilisieren, umbauen

idioms:

• alter ego    Alter ego ("das andere ich")

Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - μεταβάλλω/-ομαι, μετατρέπω, τροποποιώ, αλλάζω, αλλοιώνω/-ομαι, (για ενδύματα κτλ.) μεταποιώ

idioms:

• alter ego    άλλο εγώ, δεύτερος εαυτός

Italiano (Italian)
modificare, castrare, cambiare, trasformarsi, rinnovare

idioms:

• alter ego    alter ego

Português (Portuguese)
v. - alterar-se, variar

idioms:

• alter ego    alter ego (Psiq.), amigo (m) íntimo

Русский (Russian)
изменять, переделывать, меняться

idioms:

• alter ego    альтер эго, второе я

Español (Spanish)
v. tr. - cambiar, modificar, alterar, variar, transformar, reformar, retocar
v. intr. - alterarse, modificarse

idioms:

• alter ego    el otro yo

Svenska (Swedish)
v. - ändra, förändras

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
改变, 阉割, 去势, 修改, 变样

idioms:

• alter ego    密友, 个性的另一面, 至交

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
v. tr. - 改變, 閹割, 去勢, 修改
v. intr. - 變樣, 改變

idioms:

• alter ego    密友, 個性的另一面, 至交

한국어 (Korean)
v. tr. - 고치다, 거세하다
v. intr. - 바뀌다, 변하다, 늙다

日本語 (Japanese)
v. - 部分的に変える, 去勢する, 改まる, 変わる, 変更する, 変える, 改める, 卵巣を取り去る

idioms:

• alter ego    分身, 無二の親友

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(فعل) يبدل, يغير, يعدل‏

עברית (Hebrew)
v. tr. - ‮שינה‬
v. intr. - ‮השתנה‬

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