unaltered

Everyday

1. Unaltered means not changed; it stays the same as before. tree →
2. Unaltered can mean kept in its original state. tree →

In the lessons

In science lessons the control in an experiment stays unaltered so you can compare. In maths «the total remains unaltered» means it does not change. In formal and exam language: «leave the other values unaltered». Everyday speech says «unchanged» or «the same».

Examples

• The control plant was left unaltered. tree →
• Keep the other variables unaltered for a fair test. tree →
• (formal) The total remains unaltered if you swap the order of the numbers. tree →
• The old painting was found unaltered after many years. tree →
• The rules stay unaltered this year. tree →
• His mood was unaltered by the bad news. tree →

Note

The prefix un- means «not»; from «alter» (to change). Do not confuse with «altar» (a table in a church). In maths, an unaltered value keeps its number in the new calculation; e.g. 3 + 5 = 5 + 3, the sum is unaltered.