Renovate

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /ˈɹɛ.nəʊ.veɪt/

Definitions

1. To restore a building or room to good condition through cleaning, repairing, and modernizing its structure and features
2. To improve and refresh a space or object by making necessary repairs and updates that enhance its aesthetic or functional qualities
3. To make alterations to an area or item, ensuring its revival and modern appeal through repair and redecoration efforts

Etymology: The verb "renovate" was first recorded in English in 1535, though its adjective form, meaning "renewed," appeared earlier, around 1440. Both come from Middle English "renovat," borrowed from the Latin "renovatus," the past participle of "renovare," meaning "to renew." That Latin verb is itself built from "re-," meaning "again," and "novus," meaning "new," so the word has always carried the sense of making something new once more. For a long stretch, the participle was used on its own as a descriptive adjective before the verb took over the main work. Early English writers used the form to describe things that had been restored to freshness, and the verb later followed the same path of renewal. The "-ate" ending is a common verb-forming suffix borrowed along with many Latin words, which is why it appears in so many English verbs derived from Latin participles.

Synonyms: refurbish, restore, revamp

Antonyms: dilapidate