modification

modification — noun

1. a small but noticeable change made to something, often to improve how it works o

1.nounB1
Definition

a small but noticeable change made to something, often to improve how it works or to make it better suit a purpose

Example

The engineer made a small modification to the engine to make it run more quietly.

pattern: make a modification to [something]

Several modifications to the original plan allowed the project to move forward on time.

Common collocations
  • make a modification
  • modification to
  • minor modification
  • major modification
  • slight modification
  • require modification
  • undergo modification
Synonyms
  • adjustment

    a very small change, often to settings or position

  • alteration

    a change in appearance or structure, often more noticeable than a modification

  • revision

    a change to written or planned material

  • amendment

    a formal change, especially to a document or law

Antonyms
  • preservation

    keeping something in its original state without change

Grammar Patterns

make + modification(s) + to + noun phrase

undergo + modification

Usage Note

Can be both countable (a modification, several modifications) and uncountable (modification of something). The preposition 'to' is most common when specifying what was changed: make a modification to the design.

Common Mistakes

We need a complete modification of the company structure.
We need a complete change of the company structure.
Modification suggests small adjustments within an existing framework, not a full overhaul.
The modification of the car took two hours.' (vague about what changed).
The modification to the car's exhaust system took two hours.
Use 'to' to specify which part was changed.

2. in grammar, the relationship in which one word gives more information about anot

2.nounC1
Definition

in grammar, the relationship in which one word gives more information about another word, such as an adjective describing a noun or an adverb describing a verb

Example

In English, adding '-ly' to 'quick' is a common type of modification that creates an adverb.

grammar concept: suffix creates modifier

The teacher showed how modification works when an adjective gives more detail about a noun.

Common collocations
  • grammatical modification
  • modification of a noun
  • modification by an adjective
  • modification by an adverb
  • concept of modification
  • type of modification
Synonyms
  • qualification

    a more formal term for limiting or specifying a word's meaning

  • description

    broader and less technical than modification

Grammar Patterns

modification + of + noun + by + modifier

Usage Note

This is a technical grammar term, distinct from sense 1. It is restricted to describing relationships between words in a sentence — not any kind of change to language. Typically used with the preposition 'of' and 'by': modification of a noun by an adjective.

Common Mistakes

Changing a verb from past to present tense is a modification.
Using an adjective to describe a noun is an example of modification.
Modification in grammar means one word giving extra information about another, not any change in form.

Word family

  • modify
    verbB1
  • modifier
    nounB2
  • modified
    adjectiveB2
  • modifiable
    adjectiveC1
  • unmodified
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

While all these words refer to changes made to something, they differ in scope and context. An adjustment is usually a small, fine-tuning change — like adjusting a chair's height or a thermostat. An alteration is broader and may change the appearance or function more noticeably, such as altering a dress's length. A revision specifically applies to written or planned material — revising an essay or a budget. An amendment is the most formal, typically used in legal or official contexts, such as amending a contract or constitution. A modification sits between adjustment and alteration: it is a deliberate, often improvement-focused change that keeps the core of the original intact. You might make a modification to a car engine to improve fuel efficiency, but an alteration could mean replacing the engine entirely.

adjustment ↗alterationrevision ↗amendment ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • make modifications
  • undergo modification
  • subject to modification
  • with some modifications

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'modification' traces back to the Latin verb 'modificare', meaning 'to set a limit or measure to something.' That verb was formed by combining 'modus' ('measure' or 'manner') and 'facere' ('to make'). It passed through French before entering English around the 1400s with the general sense of 'adjustment.' The linguistic sense — one word giving extra information about another — emerged in the 1600s as the study of grammar developed.