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Added 7 October 2026

modify

/ˈmɒd.ɪ.faɪ/ verb

In Latin: adaptō Wiktionary

verb Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about modify at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Make less severe or harsh or extreme.
please modify this letter to make it more polite
Add a modifier to a constituent.
Cause to change; make different; cause a transformation.
The advent of the automobile may have altered the growth pattern of the city

Origin

From Middle English modifien, from Middle French modifier, from Latin modificare (“to limit, control, regulate, deponent”), from modificari (“to measure off, set bound to, moderate”), from modus (“measure”) + facere (“to make”); see mode.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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