Words, phrases, or clauses that provide additional information about other elements in a sentence; in computing, special keys that alter the function of other keys.
From Latin 'modificare' meaning 'to measure off, limit, or regulate'. The word entered English through French, originally meaning 'to set bounds to' or 'to moderate', and later developed specific meanings in grammar and computing where it refers to elements that alter or specify other elements.
In both grammar and computing, modifiers follow the same principle - they don't stand alone but change the meaning or function of something else. A grammatical modifier like 'very' intensifies adjectives, while computer modifier keys like Ctrl or Shift change what happens when you press other keys, showing how the same logical concept applies across different domains.
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