Intensifier

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A word or phrase that strengthens or emphasizes the meaning of another word, such as "very" or "extremely"
2. A term or expression that enhances or amplifies the significance of another word, like "really" or "remarkably"
3. An element in language that increases the force or impact of another term, for example, "exceedingly" or "highly"

Etymology: "Intensifier" is a plain formation: the verb "intensify" with the agent suffix "-er" attached, giving a word for something that does the intensifying. The verb "intensify" itself goes back to the Latin "intensus," meaning stretched or strained, which gave English a way to talk about making something tighter, stronger, or more concentrated. Grammarians then took the English verb and built a noun for the class of words that does this work. The word thus describes its own function: it is a tool for making other words stronger.

Synonyms: amplifier, enhancer, booster

Antonyms: diminisher, reducer