Origin: Latin suffix -ment
Adjustment has 6 different meanings across 1 category:
making or becoming suitable; adjusting to circumstances
"After the sudden shift in work hours, it took her a few weeks of constant adjustment before she could feel comfortable again."
the act of making something different (as e.g. the size of a garment)
"She needed to make an adjustment to the waistband before she could button her new dress."
the act of adjusting something to match a standard
"After the new safety regulations were issued, the factory spent weeks making adjustments to ensure every machine matched the required output standards."
the process of adapting to something (such as environmental conditions)
"After moving from the city to a high-altitude cabin, it took her several days for her body to make the necessary adjustment to the thinner air."
an amount added or deducted on the basis of qualifying circumstances
"an allowance for profit"
The action of adjusting something
"She made a quick adjustment to her glasses before stepping into the bright sunlight."
In plain English: An adjustment is a small change made to fix something so it works better or fits properly.
"The adjustment to the new time zone made his first day at work very difficult."
Usage: Use "adjustment" to describe the act of changing something to fit a new situation or to make it work properly. It refers specifically to the process of modification rather than the final state of being adjusted.
The word adjustment comes from the French noun ajustement, which was formed by adding the suffix -ment to the verb adjust. It entered English as a direct borrowing of this French term rather than being created anew from its parts.