v. mod·i·fied, mod·i·fy·ing, mod·i·fies v.tr. 1. To change in form or character; alter. 2. To make less extreme, severe, or strong: refused to modify her stand on the issue. 3. Grammar To qualify or limit the meaning of. For example, summer modifies day in the phrase a summer day. 4. Linguistics To change (a vowel) by umlaut. v.intr. To be or become modified; change. [Middle English modifien, from Old French modifier, from Latin modificāre, to measure, limit : modus, measure; see med- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + -ficāre, -fy.] mod′i·fi′a·bili·ty n. modi·fi′a·ble adj. |
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