Amplification

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˌæmplɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/

Definitions

1. The act of increasing the strength, intensity, or volume of something, or making something larger, louder, or more noticeable
2. The process of enhancing the magnitude, clarity, or prominence of an element while also enlarging or intensifying its qualities
3. A means of boosting the effectiveness, volume, or visibility of a concept or technology while simultaneously augmenting its dimensions

Etymology: Latin "amplificatio" was a rhetorical term before it was ever a general word for growth. Roman orators used it for the technique of expanding a point by enlarging and embellishing it, so that a modest claim swelled into a weighty one. The English word was borrowed directly from that Latin noun, not inherited through French, which is why it keeps its learned, formal feel. The Latin noun is built from "amplus," meaning large or abundant, plus "facere," to make, with the suffix "-tio" turning the action into a noun. Its ancestry runs back through Proto-Italic and Proto-Indo-European roots, but the sense of "making large" is the part that matters for English. The "amplus" element also appears in English "ample" and "amplitude," which share the same core idea of abundance.

Synonyms: expansion, augmentation, increase

Antonyms: reduction, decrease