augmenter

Forms

augmenter^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Late Latin augmentō (“to increase”),^[2][3][4][1] from Latin augmentum (“growth, increase”), which replaced the archaic augmen, from augeō (“to make grow, to grow”).^[2][1] Rey notes that this verb is also the source of Latin words behind augure, auteur, autorité and auxiliaire, and traces it to an Indo-European verbal root found from Sanskrit and Avestan to Greek and the Germanic languages.^[2]

Cognate with Occitan augmentar, Spanish aumentar and Italian aumentare.^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

The reflexive s'augmenter is recorded about 1355, and the transitive verb “to make greater” in Guillaume de Machaut about 1360, who asks God to keep and increase a lady's honour: que Diex gart et augmente.^[2][6][5]

Semantic evolution

The verb was transitive and reflexive at first; the intransitive use “to grow larger” followed in 1536.^[2] Its meaning has hardly changed, though it is used more and more of measurable quantities, especially prices and values.^[2] By metonymy, augmenter quelqu'un (1752) means to raise a person's pay.^[2][5] The intransitive use is now very common of prices and the cost of living (tout augmente).^[2] In African French it has wider uses, such as turning up the light of a lamp or the volume of a radio.^[2]

The word also reached Anglo-Norman, where it is recorded in 1395–96 in the senses “enhance, increase, build up”.^[7]

Timeline

• c. 1355 – The reflexive s'augmenter is first recorded.^[2]
• c. 1360 – Guillaume de Machaut uses the transitive verb.^[6][8][3]
• 1395–96 – First recorded in Anglo-Norman.^[7]
• 1536 – The intransitive use “to grow larger” appears.^[2]
• 1752 – Augmenter quelqu'un “to give someone a raise” is recorded.^[2]

Meanings

Verb

1. (transitive) To make greater in size, number, length or intensity, to increase: Le boulanger a augmenté le prix du pain.^[8][9][10]
2. (transitive) To raise the salary of (someone): Elle a été augmentée en janvier.^[8][5][2]
3. (intransitive) To become greater, to grow: Le froid augmentait chaque nuit.^[10][5][1]
4. (intransitive) Of goods and prices, to become more expensive: Le gaz a encore augmenté.^[2][6]
5. (reflexive) S'augmenter: to become greater.^[8][2]
6. (Africa) To turn up (a lamp, a radio).^[2]

Word family

• augmentation

Usage notes

The past participle is used of a book in édition revue et augmentée, “revised and enlarged edition”.^[8][9]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
3. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
4. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c d e Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
6. ^ a b c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
7. ^ a b Anglo-Norman Dictionary (AND2), Aberystwyth University, anglo-norman.net (2nd ed., 2005–)
8. ^ a b c d e Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
9. ^ a b Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
10. ^ a b Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)