Here's how it breaks down:
* Modern: Relating to the present or recent times.
* Modernize: To make something more modern, updated, or in line with current trends.
So, "modernize" essentially means "to make something modern."
Here are some other examples of how the suffix "-ize" changes meaning:
* Actualize: To make something real or actual.
* Civilize: To make something more refined or cultured.
* Legalize: To make something legal or lawful.
* Visualize: To form a mental image of something.