enhance

[ en-hans, -hahns ]
See synonyms for enhance on Thesaurus.com
verb (used with object),en·hanced, en·hanc·ing.
  1. to raise to a higher degree; intensify; magnify: The candlelight enhanced her beauty.

  2. to raise the value or price of: Rarity enhances the worth of old coins.

Origin of enhance

1
First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English enhauncen, from Anglo-French enhauncer, apparently for Old French enhaucer, equivalent to en- en-1 + haucer “to raise” (French hausser ) from the unattested Vulgar Latin altiāre (derivative of Latin altus “high,” with h-, from Germanic; see haughty), though -n- is unexplained

synonym study For enhance

2. See elevate.

Opposites for enhance

Other words from enhance

  • en·hance·ment, noun
  • en·hanc·ive, adjective
  • un·en·hanced, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use enhance in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for enhance

enhance

/ (ɪnˈhɑːns) /


verb
  1. (tr) to intensify or increase in quality, value, power, etc; improve; augment

Origin of enhance

1
C14: from Old French enhaucier, from en- 1 + haucier to raise, from Vulgar Latin altiāre (unattested), from Latin altus high

Derived forms of enhance

  • enhancement, noun
  • enhancer, noun
  • enhancive, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012