enhance

B2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ɪnˈhæns/ UK /ɪnˈhɑːns/ See IPA manual

Freq #13241

Meanings

1

verb
To improve the quality, value, or attractiveness of something.

This sauce will enhance the flavour of the meat.
2

verb
To make something greater in amount or degree.

A good night's sleep will enhance your concentration.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to improve the quality,... improve raise

2 verb · to make something greater... increase raise

More heighten

Opposites

dehance

Word family

Forms enhancedenhancesenhancing

Derived forms bioenhanceenhanceableenhancementenhanceosomeenhancerenhancivehyperenhancehypoenhanceisoenhancephotoenhance

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

enhance beauty
to improve or intensify the appearance or beauty of something

Verb + noun

Simplified etymology

Enhance entered English in the Middle English period and ultimately derives from Latin altus, meaning “high.” Its original sense was “make higher.”

Etymology

From Middle English enhauncen, anhaunsen, from Anglo-Norman anhauncer (“enhance, raise”), from Vulgar Latin *inaltiāre (“raise”), derived from Latin in + altus (“high”). The /h/ in Old French was taken from haut (“high”), where it resulted from Frankish influence.

enhauncen Middle English enhaucier xno *altiare la-vul in Old English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# enhance

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ɪnˈhæns/
**IPA (UK):** /ɪnˈhɑːns/
**Frequency rank:** 13241

## Meanings
1. To improve the quality, value, or attractiveness of something.
2. To make something greater in amount or degree.

## Examples
- This sauce will enhance the flavour of the meat.
- A good night's sleep will enhance your concentration.

## Synonyms
- heighten

## Antonyms
- dehance

## Derived Forms
- bioenhance
- enhanceable
- enhancement
- enhanceosome
- enhancer
- enhancive
- hyperenhance
- hypoenhance
- isoenhance
- photoenhance

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: enhauncen
- Root: enhaucier
- Root: *altiare
- Root: in

## Etymology
From Middle English enhauncen, anhaunsen, from Anglo-Norman anhauncer (“enhance, raise”), from Vulgar Latin *inaltiāre (“raise”), derived from Latin in + altus (“high”). The /h/ in Old French was taken from haut (“high”), where it resulted from Frankish influence.

## AI Etymology
Enhance comes from Middle English enhauncen, anhaunsen, from Anglo-Norman anhauncer (“enhance, raise”), from Vulgar Latin *inaltiāre (“raise”), derived from Latin in + altus (“high”). The /h/ in Old French was taken from haut (“high”), where it resulted from Frankish influence. In current use, the main senses are “To improve the quality, value, or attractiveness of something” and “To make something greater in amount or degree”.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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