enhance

B2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ɪnˈhæns/ UK /ɪnˈhɑːns/ See IPA manual

verb 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.

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

Common collocations

enhance beauty Verb + noun

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

Describing Qualities Cause, Change & Process

# 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
- Describing Qualities
- Cause, Change & Process

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