transitive verb modified -·fied′, modifying -·fy′·ing

1. to change or alter; esp., to change slightly or partially in character, form, etc.
2. to limit or reduce slightly; moderate to modify a penalty
3. Gram. to limit the meaning of; qualify “old” modifies “man” in “old man”
4. Linguis. to change the form of a morpheme to indicate grammatical relations or derivation

Etymology: ME modifien < MFr < L modificare, to limit, regulate < modus, measure (see mode) + facere, to make: see do

intransitive verb