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a·mend·ment

(ə-mĕndmənt)

1. The act of changing for the better; improvement: "Society may sometimes show signs of repentance and amendment" (George G. Coulton).

2. A correction or alteration, as in a manuscript.

a. The process of formally altering or adding to a document or record.

b. A statement of such an alteration or addition.

c. Amendment One of the provisions in the US Constitution protecting individual rights.

4. A material, such as organic matter or sand, mixed into soil to improve growing conditions.

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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