English

Noun

changer ‎(plural changers)

1. Someone or something who changes things.

Usage notes

• Usually used together with another noun, eg, automatic tool changer, shape changer, mind changer

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʃɑ̃.ʒe/
• Homophones: changeai, changé, changée, changées, changés, changez

Etymology

From Old French changier, from Late Latin cambiāre, from Latin cambīre, present active infinitive of cambiō ‎(“exchange, barter”), from Gaulish cambion, *kambyom ‎(“change”), from Proto-Celtic *kambos ‎(“twisted, crooked”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ḱambos, *(s)kambos ‎(“crooked”). Cognate with Italian cambiare, Occitan cambiar, Portuguese cambiar, Romanian schimb, Spanish cambiar and Walloon candjî.

Verb

changer

1. (transitive) to exchange (something)
2. (transitive) to change (money, a job, one's circumstances etc.)
3. (transitive) to change, alter (something en into)
4. (intransitive) to change
5. (takes a reflexive pronoun) to change (one's clothes), get changed
6. to put clean diapers to babies.

Conjugation

This is a regular -er verb, but the stem is written change- before endings that begin with -a- or -o- (to indicate that the -g- is a “soft” /ʒ/ and not a “hard” /ɡ/). This spelling-change occurs in all verbs in -ger, such as neiger and manger.

Related terms

Old French

Verb

changer

1. Alternative form of changier

Conjugation

This verb conjugates as a first-group verb ending in -er. In the present tense an extra supporting e is needed in the first-person singular indicative and throughout the singular subjunctive, and the third-person singular subjunctive ending -t is lost. In addition, g becomes j before an a or an o to keep the /dʒ/ sound intact. Old French conjugation varies significantly by date and by region. The following conjugation should be treated as a guide.