Ameliorant

Part of speech: adjective, noun

Definitions

1. A component that contributes to a positive change or enhancement in various scenarios
2. Something that acts to make a situation or condition better
3. An element that helps to improve or alleviate a negative state

Etymology: Ameliorant is a formation from "ameliorate," which entered English in the early 1600s, borrowed from French "améliorer." That French verb was built from "meilleur," "better," which descends from Latin "melior," the comparative of "bonus," "good." So the word's core idea is simply "to make better," and the French root gives "ameliorate" its sense of gradual improvement rather than a sudden fix. The noun "ameliorant" and the adjective with the same form are considerably later, both appearing in the 20th century, and they follow the pattern of many English nouns made from verbs ending in "-ate" by adding "-ant." Ameliorant is also built on the Latin-derived "-ant" suffix, meaning "one who" or "that which" performs the action. It is a technical-sounding formation, especially common in chemistry, agriculture and soil science, where a substance is added to improve a material's condition.

Synonyms: improver, enhancer, corrector, refiner, upgrader