modifier

[mod-uh-fahy-er] /ˈmɒd əˌfaɪ ər/
noun
1.
a person or thing that modifies.
2.
Grammar.
  1. a word, phrase, or sentence element that limits or qualifies the sense of another word, phrase, or element in the same construction.
  2. the immediate constituent of an endocentric construction that is not the head.
Origin
1575-85; modify + -er1
Usage note
See dangling participle, misplaced modifier.
Examples from the web for modifier
  • Here's the other problem mentioned in the stylebook entry, a form of dangling modifier.
  • You're getting their thoughts in real time, even with an occasional misplaced modifier.
British Dictionary definitions for modifier

modifier

/ˈmɒdɪˌfaɪə/
noun
1.
(grammar) Also called qualifier. a word or phrase that qualifies the sense of another word; for example, the noun alarm is a modifier of clock in alarm clock and the phrase every day is an adverbial modifier of walks in he walks every day
2.
a person or thing that modifies
Word Origin and History for modifier
n.

1580s, agent noun of modify. Grammatical sense is from 1865.

modifier in Culture

modifier definition


A word or group of words that describes or limits a verb, noun, adjective, or adverb. Modifiers applied to nouns are adjectives. Modifiers applied to verbs or adjectives are adverbs. Those that are applied to adverbs themselves are also called adverbs.

modifier in Technology

programming
An operation that alters the state of an object. Modifiers often have names that begin with "set" and corresponding selector functions whose names begin with "get".
(1998-01-12)