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alter

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

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See also: Alter, älter, and alter-

English

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

From 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.

Verb

alter (third-person singular simple present alters, present participle altering, simple past and past participle altered)

  1. (ambitransitive) To change the form or structure of.
    Near-synonym: tweak
  2. (intransitive) To become different.
    • 1865, Walt Whitman, “When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d”, in Sequel to Drum-Taps: When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d and other poems:
      […] 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, […]
  3. (transitive) To tailor clothes to make them fit.
  4. (transitive) To castrate, neuter or spay (a dog or other animal).
  5. (transitive) To affect mentally, as by psychotropic drugs or illness.
Alternative forms
Derived terms
Translations

Further reading

Etymology 2

Probably from alter ego.

Noun

alter (plural alters)

  2. (psychology, multiplicity) One of the personalities, identities, or selves in a person with dissociative identity disorder or another form of multiplicity.
    Synonym: headmate
    • 2000, Elyn R. Saks, Stephen H. Behnke, Jekyll on Trial: Multiple Personality Disorder and Criminal Law, page 147:
      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.

References

Etymology 3

Noun

alter

  1. Misspelling of altar.
    • 2002, Nicholas Smeed, Resurrections: Vignettes About Discovery, Relationships, Personal Empowerment, And Preternatural Experiences, Xlibris Corporation, →ISBN, page 26:
      As an alter boy he remembered that walking between the alter and the gates was prohibited for everyone except the priest.
    • 2007, Jerry P. Martinez, Leche De Coyote, Xlibris Corporation, →ISBN, page 39:
      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.
    • 2009, Todd Sprague, Survive, Todd Sprague, →ISBN, page 142:
      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 simple wooden door stood closed behind the alter […]
    • 2011, Suzanne Dekeyzer James, The Stone Harp, Xlibris Corporation, →ISBN, page 146:
      Truth motioned to Alexandra, “There; the key is kept on the alter.” She spotted it easily, for it was now well lighted by an amber colored presence light. She and the others moved quickly toward the alter.
    • 2018, William Francis Jack, Alter Boy Rules, Lulu Press, Inc, →ISBN:
      Third-rate alter boy. Skinny, lousy face, brown hair with a cowlick as big as Sputtnik. So as not to go on about it, I can put it in one word: Butt-ugly.

See also

Anagrams

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Danish

Danish Wikipedia has an article on:
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Etymology

From Old Norse altari, from Old Saxon altari, from Late Latin altare (“altar”). Cognate with English altar and German Altar.

Pronunciation

Noun

alter n (singular definite altret or alteret, plural indefinite altre)

  1. (religion) altar, a table or a platform for making sacrifices.
  2. (Christianity) altar, the ritual space of a Christian church.

Inflection

More information neuter gender, singular ...

References

“alter” in Den Danske Ordbog

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German

Pronunciation

Adjective

alter

  1. inflection of alt:
    1. strong/mixed nominative masculine singular
    2. strong genitive/dative feminine singular
    3. strong genitive plural

Indonesian

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

From English alter, from Old French alterer (French altérer), from Medieval Latin alterare (“to make other”), from Latin alter (“the other”).

Verb

altêr

  1. to alter, to tailor clothes to make them fit

Etymology 2

Noun

altêr

  1. (colloquial) clipping of alter ego

Further reading

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Latin

Lombard

Norwegian Bokmål

Norwegian Nynorsk

Old High German

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