Origin: 1275–1325; Middle English incresen, encresen <
Anglo-French encres-, Middle French encreiss-, stem of
encreistre <
Latin incrēscere, equivalent to
in- in-2 +
crēscere to grow; see
crescent Related forms in·creas·a·ble, adjective
non·in·creas·a·ble, adjective
non·in·crease, noun
pre·in·crease, noun
pre·in·crease, verb (used with object), pre·in·creased, pre·in·creas·ing.
pro·in·crease, adjective
qua·si-in·creased, adjective
re·in·crease, verb, re·in·creased, re·in·creas·ing, noun
su·per·in·crease, verb (used with object), su·per·in·creased, su·per·in·creas·ing.
su·per·in·crease, noun
un·in·creas·a·ble, adjective
un·in·creased, adjective
Synonyms
1. expand, extend, prolong. Increase, augment, enlarge may all mean to make larger. To increase means to make greater, as in quantity, extent, degree: to increase someone's salary; to increase the velocity; to increase the (degree of ) concentration. Enlarge means to make greater in size, extent, or range: to enlarge a building, a business, one's conceptions. Augment a more formal word, means to make greater, especially by addition from the outside: to augment one's income (by doing extra work ). 3. expand, grow, develop, swell. 6. enlargement, expansion.
Antonyms
1, 3. decrease.