Enriching

Part of speech: adjective, verb

Definitions

1. Increasing the value, quality, or substance of something to make it more satisfying or effective
2. Improving or enhancing by adding desirable or valuable elements to a thing or experience
3. Boosting the worth or appeal of something through the addition of beneficial or nourishing factors

Etymology: "Enriching" is the present participle of "enrich", so its history is really the history of that verb. The verb came into Middle English from Anglo-Norman "enrichir" and Old French "enrichier", both built from "en-", a prefix meaning "make" or "put into a state of", and "rich". The sense of making something richer in material wealth came first, and the figurative sense of improving something's quality or worth grew out of it. The "rich" at its heart comes from Old English "rīce", which meant powerful or ruling before it meant wealthy. That older sense survives in the idea of a "rich" person being one with the means to command others, and the word's sense of abundance was already there when the French formed their verb. "Enrich" therefore carries the notion of adding to a store of possessions, and "enriching" simply describes the act of doing that.

Synonyms: enhancing, improving, augmenting

Antonyms: depleting, diminishing, reducing