/ English Dictionary |
ALTERATION
Pronunciation (US): | (GB): |
I. (noun)
Sense 1
Meaning:
The act of making something different (as e.g. the size of a garment)
Synonyms:
adjustment; alteration; modification
Classified under:
Nouns denoting acts or actions
Hypernyms ("alteration" is a kind of...):
change (the action of changing something)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "alteration"):
laxation; loosening (the act of making something less tight)
tightening (the act of making something tighter)
accommodation ((physiology) the automatic adjustment in focal length of the natural lens of the eye)
adaptation ((physiology) the responsive adjustment of a sense organ (as the eye) to varying conditions (as of light))
tune (the adjustment of a radio receiver or other circuit to a required frequency)
Derivation:
alter (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)
alter (make an alteration to)
Sense 2
Meaning:
The act of revising or altering (involving reconsideration and modification)
Example:
it would require a drastic revision of his opinion
Synonyms:
alteration; revision
Classified under:
Nouns denoting acts or actions
Hypernyms ("alteration" is a kind of...):
transformation; translation (the act of changing in form or shape or appearance)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "alteration"):
metamorphosis; transfiguration (a striking change in appearance or character or circumstances)
reorganization (an extensive alteration of the structure of a corporation or government)
qualification (the act of modifying or changing the strength of some idea)
modulation (the act of modifying or adjusting according to due measure and proportion (as with regard to artistic effect))
distraction; misdirection (the act of distracting; drawing someone's attention away from something)
Sense 3
Meaning:
An event that occurs when something passes from one state or phase to another
Example:
the neighborhood had undergone few modifications since his last visit years ago
Synonyms:
alteration; change; modification
Classified under:
Hypernyms ("alteration" is a kind of...):
happening; natural event; occurrence; occurrent (an event that happens)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "alteration"):
increase (a change resulting in an increase)
easing; moderation; relief (a change for the better)
deformation (alteration in the shape or dimensions of an object as a result of the application of stress to it)
transition (a change from one place or state or subject or stage to another)
shift; transformation; transmutation (a qualitative change)
scintillation; sparkling; twinkle (a rapid change in brightness; a brief spark or flash)
play; shimmer (a weak and tremulous light)
transmutation ((physics) the change of one chemical element into another (as by nuclear decay or radioactive bombardment))
damage; harm; impairment (the occurrence of a change for the worse)
development (a recent event that has some relevance for the present situation)
revolution (a drastic and far-reaching change in ways of thinking and behaving)
chromosomal mutation; genetic mutation; mutation ((genetics) any event that changes genetic structure; any alteration in the inherited nucleic acid sequence of the genotype of an organism)
sex change (a change in a person's physical sexual characteristics (as by surgery and hormone treatments))
loss of consciousness (the occurrence of a loss of the ability to perceive and respond)
destabilization (an event that causes a loss of equilibrium (as of a ship or aircraft))
decrease; drop-off; lessening (a change downward)
death; decease; expiry (the event of dying or departure from life)
conversion (a change of religion)
fluctuation; variation (an instance of change; the rate or magnitude of change)
vagary (an unexpected and inexplicable change in something (in a situation or a person's behavior, etc.))
breakup; detachment; separation (coming apart)
birth; nascence; nascency; nativity (the event of being born)
surprise (a sudden unexpected event)
sublimation ((psychology) modifying the natural expression of an impulse or instinct (especially a sexual one) to one that is socially acceptable)
mutation (a change or alteration in form or qualities)
break (an abrupt change in the tone or register of the voice (as at puberty or due to emotion))
avulsion (an abrupt change in the course of a stream that forms the boundary between two parcels of land resulting in the loss of part of the land of one landowner and a consequent increase in the land of another)
deceleration; retardation; slowing (a decrease in rate of change)
acceleration (an increase in rate of change)
Derivation:
alter (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)
Context examples:
Medical-Surgical Nursing includes the provision of care to individuals who have a known or predicted physiological alteration.
(Medical-Surgical Nursing, NCI Thesaurus)
Alteration of any condition or process in an offspring that results form the effect of a carcinogen in a parent.
(Carcinogen Effect in Offspring, NCI Thesaurus)
A pathologic process in which alterations at the molecular level result in a more aggressive cytologic and phenotypic profile and clinical course of a malignant neoplasm.
(Cancer Progression, NCI Thesaurus)
Reversible binding of calcium with proteins often supports protein structure or induces an alteration of protein activity in enzymatic or cell signaling cascades.
(Calcium Binding Protein, NCI Thesaurus)
A multidisciplinary facility using various genomic and/or epigenomic analysis technologies for the systematic, high-resolution, comprehensive characterization of cancer-related genomic alterations in biomolecules obtained from highly-annotated, quality-controlled human cancer biospecimens.
(Cancer Genome Characterization Center, NCI Thesaurus)
Alterations in Ca2+ homeostasis and accumulation of misfolded proteins in the ER cause ER stress.
(Apoptosis Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/KEGG)
A morphologic finding indicating the alteration of the glandular acinar epithelial cells to apocrine sweat gland cells.
(Apocrine Metaplasia, NCI Thesaurus)
These alterations returned to near baseline during the following month of neutral temperature, and then were completely reversed during the final month of warm exposure.
(Cool temperature alters human fat and metabolism, NIH)
This is the first study ever published demonstrating that inflammation can activate distinct molecules in the brain's hippocampus, leading to alterations in how new brain cells are formed.
(Scientists Reveal How Inflammation Affects The Life of Brain Cells, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)
The research also revealed that sunflower oil induced fibrosis, ultrastructural alterations, gene expression blockades and high oxidation.
(Long-term consumption of sunflower and fish oils damages the liver, University of Granada)