An amendment is a formal change or addition made to the terms of a contract, law, constitution, or other legal document. It modifies the original document by adding, correcting, or substituting parts without completely replacing it, although substantial changes may require drafting a new document

. In legal and governmental contexts, amendments are used to update laws, contracts, or constitutions. For example, constitutional amendments can fundamentally alter a country's governing system and typically require a prescribed approval process, such as legislative and sometimes public ratification

. The U.S. Constitution has been amended 27 times, with the first 10 amendments known as the Bill of Rights

. In parliamentary procedure, an amendment is a motion to alter the wording or substance of a pending motion before it is adopted. It can clarify, correct, or adjust proposals and requires a formal process including debate and voting

. In summary, an amendment serves as a formal mechanism to revise existing agreements, laws, or motions to reflect new information, correct errors, or adapt to changing circumstances while maintaining the original document's integrity where possible.