enhance

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ɪnˈhɑːns/, /ɛnˈhɑːns/ (UK); /ɪnˈhæns/, /ɛnˈhæns/ (US)^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle English anhaunsen, enhauncen, borrowed from Anglo-Norman enhauncer, probably an alteration of Old French enhaucier, to make greater, higher or louder,^[2][3][4] from Vulgar Latin *inaltiāre, from Late Latin inaltāre, to raise, exalt,^[2][3] from Latin in-, on, and altus, high (see altitude),^[2][3][5] from Proto-Indo-European *al-, to grow, nourish.^[3] The -n- may be due to Occitan enansar, to promote, further;^[3] Barnhart suggests that the h of the French verb came from the influence of Frankish *hōh, high.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

To raise, make higher: about 1280 in Barnhart, the late 13th century in Etymonline.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

To raise in station, wealth or fame is from about 1300,^[2][3] and to praise or extol from about 1374.^[6] To lift up literally (1388) and to lift the voice (1483) are obsolete senses.^[6][7] Hoad dates the sense to heighten or intensify to the 15th century, and to raise in price later.^[4] Enhancement is from 1577.^[2]

Timeline

• c. 1280 – to raise.^[2]
• c. 1300 – to raise in rank.^[2]
• c. 1374 – to extol.^[6]
• 15th century – to intensify.^[4]
• 1577 – enhancement.^[2]

Modern meaning

Verb

1. To make greater in value, quality, beauty or reputation; to improve or augment.

Word family

• enhancement
• enhancer
• enhancive

Related words

• altitude
• exalt
• haughty
• hawser

References

1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
3. ^ a b c d e f g Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b c Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ Cresswell, Julia (2021), Oxford Dictionary of Word Origins, 3rd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
6. ^ a b c Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles (2002), 5th ed., ed. William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, Oxford: Oxford University Press