modify

To modify is to make a change or alteration.

(verb)

When you alter the color in a room, this is an example of a situation where you modify a color.

See modify in Webster's New World College Dictionary

to change or alter; esp., to change slightly or partially in character, form, etc.
to limit or reduce slightly; moderate: to modify a penalty
Gram. to limit the meaning of; qualify: “old” modifies “man” in “old man”
Linguis. to change the form of a morpheme to indicate grammatical relations or derivation

Origin: ME modifien < MFr < L modificare, to limit, regulate < modus, measure (see mode) + facere, to make: see do

intransitive verb

to be modified

Related Forms:

See modify in American Heritage Dictionary 4

verb mod·i·fied, mod·i·fy·ing, mod·i·fies

verb, transitive

To change in form or character; alter.
To make less extreme, severe, or strong: refused to modify her stand on the issue.
Grammar To qualify or limit the meaning of. For example, summer modifies day in the phrase a summer day.
Linguistics To change (a vowel) by umlaut.

verb, intransitive

To be or become modified; change.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English modifien

Origin: , from Old French modifier

Origin: , from Latin modificāre, to measure, limit

Origin: : modus, measure; see med- in Indo-European roots

Origin: + -ficāre, -fy

Related Forms: