noun
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an adjustment, change, or modification
-
the act of altering or state of being altered
Other Word Forms
- prealteration noun
- proalteration adjective
- realteration noun
Etymology
Origin of alteration
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English alteracioun, from Medieval Latin alterātiōn-, stem of alterātiō; equivalent to alter + -ation
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
One major alteration is how the death of Scarpetta’s father impacts her future career.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 11, 2026
Their analysis indicates that much of the iron was highly "weathered," meaning it had undergone extensive chemical alteration over time.
From Science Daily • Feb. 4, 2026
She cites an alteration in the “tone of their correspondence,” pointing to “a declaration, a recognition, or more” that “changes everything.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 21, 2025
UFC had argued that the alteration of the water carried health risks.
From Barron's • Nov. 18, 2025
The alteration of the single amino acid was discovered by Vernon Ingram, a former student of Max Perutz’s.
From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
