What does alterable mean?
Alterable is an adjective describing something that is capable of being changed or modified. It derives from the Latin 'alter', meaning 'other' or 'another', via the verb 'alter', to change, and entered English in the early modern period alongside related forms such as 'alteration'. The word carries a neutral tone and appears most often in formal contexts: legal documents describe whether terms are alterable, scientists discuss whether conditions or traits are alterable, and everyday speech uses it whenever flexibility matters. Its force lies in what it implies about permanence — calling something alterable asserts that its current state is not final, while its antonym 'unalterable' insists nothing can be done to change it. This makes the word especially useful in debates over rules, contracts, plans, and natural laws, where the central question is precisely whether change is possible.
adjectiveCapable of being changed or modified; able to be altered.
- Capable of being changed, modified, or adjusted.
"The terms of the contract are alterable only by mutual agreement of both parties."
"The deadline is alterable if circumstances require it."
"Genetic traits once thought fixed are now understood to be alterable through environmental factors."
Every time you say something is 'alterable', you're echoing the Latin 'alter' — the same root that gives us 'alternate', 'alternative', and even 'altruism': literally, a concern for 'the other'.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of alterable
Alterable comes from the Latin verb 'alterare', meaning 'to change', itself built on 'alter', meaning 'other' or 'another'. The word passed into English in the late Middle English or early modern period, likely influenced by French forms of the same root. It shares this Latin ancestry with words such as 'alteration', 'alternative', and 'alter ego', all of which preserve the core idea of becoming or choosing 'the other'.
Related word forms
How alterable is actually used
A neutral, somewhat formal word common in legal, scientific, and technical writing. It often appears in contrast with 'unalterable' or 'immutable' when discussing whether something can legitimately be changed.
Easily confused with alterable
'Altercate' is a verb meaning to argue or dispute noisily, whereas 'alterable' is an adjective meaning capable of being changed.