alter

/ˈȯl-tər/

Middle English alteren "to change, transform," borrowed from Anglo-French & Late Latin; Anglo-French alterer, borrowed from Late Latin alterāre, verbal derivative of Latin alter "second, another, next," derivative, with the suffix of opposition -ter-, from the base of alius "other"

verb

  1. to make different without changing into something else

  2. castrate, spay

  3. to become different

an event that altered the course of history

change alter vary modify mean to make or become different. change implies making either an essential difference often amounting to a loss of original identity or a substitution of one thing for another. alter implies a difference in some particular respect without suggesting loss of identity.

noun

  1. a second self or different version of oneself: such as

  2. a trusted friend

  3. the opposite side of a personality

Latin noun phrase

  1. another Christ —used as an epithet for Catholic priests