Maximizing

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Enhancing a particular aspect to its utmost potential
2. Increasing something to the highest possible degree or amount
3. Expanding or amplifying to reach an extreme level

Etymology: "Maximizing" is the present participle and gerund of "maximize," which combines the Latin "maximus," meaning "greatest," with the English suffix "-ize," taken from Greek through Latin and used to turn nouns and adjectives into verbs meaning "make or cause to become." Put together, "maximize" means to make something as great as it can possibly be. The suffix does most of the work in the verb's shape. "-ize" has been attached to borrowed and native stems for centuries, so forming a verb from the Latin superlative "maximus" was a natural step in English. The Latin base is the familiar superlative of "magnus," which is also the root of "magnitude" and "magnify."

Synonyms: optimizing, enhancing, increasing, amplifying, boosting

Antonyms: minimizing, reducing, diminishing, decreasing, lessening