augment

What it means

1. transitiveTo increase; to make larger or supplement.

   The money from renting out a spare room can augment a salary.

   1 more example

   [T]he fauour of Princes and Magiſtrates noryſheth, augmenteth, and amplyfyeth all artes and ſciences by liberalitie, and extynguyſheth the ſame by miſerable couetouſnes and parcimonie.

   1561, Richard Eden, “To the Ryght Worshypfull Syr Wyllyam Garrerd Knyght, and Master Thomas Lodge, Aldermen of the Citie of London, and Gouernours of the Honorable Felowshyp or Societie, aswell of Certaine of the Nobilitie, as of Marchauntes Aduenturers, for the Discouery of Landes, Territories, Ilandes, and Seignories Vnknowen, and Not before Their First Aduenture or Enterprise by Seas or Nauigations Commonly Frequented: And to the Right Worshypfull the Consulles, Assistentes, and Comminaltie of the Same Societie, Richarde Eden Wyssheth Health and Prosperitie”, in Martin Cortes [i.e., Martín Cortés de Albacar], translated by Richard Eden, The Arte of Nauigation: Conteynyng a Compendious Description of the Sphere, with the Makyng of Certen Instrumentes and Rules for Nauigations: and Exemplified by Manye Demonstrations. […], London: […] Richard Jugge, […], →OCLC, signature [¶ iii], recto

2. intransitivereflexiveTo grow; to increase; to become greater.
3. entertainmentTo slow the tempo or meter, e.g. for a dramatic or stately passage.

In a sentence

The money from renting out a spare room can augment a salary.

Where it comes from

1. Latinaugmentum“an increase, growth”
2. Late Latinaugmentare“to increase”
3. Old Frenchaugmenter
4. Middle Frenchaugmenter
5. Middle Englishaugmenten
6. Englishaugment

From Middle English augmenten, from Middle French augmenter, from Old French augmenter, from Late Latin augmentare (“to increase”), from Latin augmentum (“an increase, growth”), from augere (“to increase”).