Rounden

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To make or become more circular in shape ; to give a fuller or more rounded form to something ; to grow or appear more curved or rotund in contour
2. Causing something to assume a more spherical or circular appearance ; imparting a rounder outline or shape to an object ; taking on increased curvature or fullness
3. Transforming a form into a more globular or curved state ; shaping or rendering something less angular and more round ; adopting a rounder or puffier configuration

Etymology: "Rounden" is a plain formation: the adjective "round" with the suffix "-en," which turns an adjective into a verb meaning "to make (something) into that quality." So "rounden" means to make something more round, as in shaping an edge or smoothing a curve. The pattern is old and productive in English, seen in older verbs such as "lengthen," "widen," and "darken," all built the same way from adjectives. The base word "round" has its own long history, coming into English from Old French "rond," which itself descends from Latin "rotundus," meaning "wheel-shaped" or "circular." Given that Latin root, the verb's meaning is nearly literal: it takes the idea of roundness and turns it into an action performed on an object.

Synonyms: round, circle, curve, bend

Antonyms: flatten