Definition
To make something different, or to become different. It can also mean to switch or replace one thing with another.
Example
Elle veut changer de travail cette année.
Show translation
She wants to change jobs this year.
Etymology
From Old French *changier*, from Late Latin *cambiare* ("to exchange, barter"), likely of Gaulish origin, related to the root seen in English "exchange" and Italian *cambiare*. The Gaulish connection points to a pre-Roman word for trading horses, which entered Latin through commerce in the provinces.
Cultural note
The phrase *changer de crémerie* ("to change dairy shop") is a colourful informal expression meaning to take your business elsewhere or move on — a charming relic of a time when the neighbourhood dairy was a daily fixture of French life. You'll also hear *ça change tout* ("that changes everything") used emphatically in everyday conversation.