Stoutening

Part of speech: noun, verb

Definitions

1. A process of becoming thicker or more robust, often in terms of physical strength or resilience
2. an increase in density or solidness in a material or substance
3. a transformation that leads to a more pronounced and vigorous form or structure

Etymology: "Stoutening" is the present participle and gerund of "stouten," a verb built from the adjective "stout" plus the suffix "-en," which turns an adjective into a verb meaning to make or become that quality. So "stouten" means to make something stout, and by extension to grow thicker or more substantial. The "-ing" ending then turns it into a form that can name the process itself, as in the thickening of a sauce or the stoutening of a rope. The adjective "stout" is the older and more familiar half of the pairing. It has long meant strong, sturdy or firm, and in older English it could describe a person's courage or resolve as well as their build. The "-en" suffix is one of English's oldest verb-making tools, found in words like "widen," "soften" and "harden," and it is the same piece that produces "stouten" here.

Synonyms: strengthening, fortifying, reinforcing, hardening, toughening

Antonyms: weakening, softening, diminishing, reducing, loosening