An optical modulator that includes a substrate 1 composed of a material having an electro-optical effect, an optical waveguide 2 formed in the substrate, and a modulation electrode 3 for modulating lightwaves propagating through the optical waveguide, in which output light L2 that is output from the optical waveguide is guided with an optical fiber, wavelength dispersion characteristics of the optical fiber transmission line are compensated for by performing polarization reversal 10 of the substrate along the optical waveguide with a predetermined pattern so that the substrate along the optical waveguide has waveform distortion with characteristics that are inverse to the wavelength dispersion characteristics of the optical fiber transmission line, and the compensation for the wavelength dispersion characteristics is adjusted to a predetermined level by disposing an adjustment member made of a dielectric material or a metal material in the vicinity of the modulation electrode.