Aggrandisers

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Individuals or entities that seek to increase one's own power or wealth at the expense of others
2. People who enhance their own status or importance through manipulation or strategic means
3. Those who engage in actions that elevate their own influence or financial standing, often disregarding ethical considerations

Etymology: "Aggrandisers" is the plural of "aggrandiser," so the history belongs to the verb "aggrandise," which comes from French. The verb was borrowed from the French "agrandir," meaning "to make larger," and that French word descends from Latin "grandis," meaning "large" or "great." The same Latin root gives English "grand" and "grandeur," so the family resemblance is clear: an aggrandiser is one who makes himself or his position bigger. The root sense of enlargement remained the core meaning for centuries, applied to physical size, wealth, rank or power. The noun "aggrandiser" follows the verb, and the sense of grasping for advancement, often by unscrupulous means, grew out of the earlier meaning of simply increasing something's size or importance.

Synonyms: enhancers, boosters, magnifiers, exaggerators, inflators

Antonyms: detractors, minimizers, belittlers, underminers, disparagers