Meanings
plural enlargements · alternative archaic inlargement
- countableuncountableAn act or instance of making something larger.
Rick was ashamed about the size of his penis, so he had a penis enlargement.
- countablefigurativelyuncountableA making more obvious or serious; exacerbation.
Bathsheba underwent the enlargement of her husband's absence from hours to days with a slight feeling of surprise, and a slight feeling of relief; yet neither sensation rose at any time far above the level commonly designated as indifference.
1874, Thomas Hardy, Far From the Madding Crowd, 2005 Barnes & Noble Classics publication of 1912 Wessex edition, p.337 - countableuncountableAn image, particularly a photograph, that has been enlarged.
- countableobsoleteuncountableFreedom from confinement; liberty.
Go, tenderness of years; take this key, give enlargement to the swain, bring him festinately hither.
c. 1595–1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Loues Labour’s Lost”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i] - countableuncountableDiffuseness of speech or writing; a speaking at length.
He could discover very little further interest in his breakfast and turned to the other papers for possible enlargement of the details.
1923, Ernest Bramah [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], “(please specify the page)”, in The Eyes of Max Carrados, London: Grant Richards, →OCLC1 more example
Briefly, a discourse generally consists in some prefatory remarks which pave the way as it were for the enlargement upon which a speaker usually enters when he speaks to any purpose.
1897, Peter Joseph Cooke, Forensic Eloquence, page 40
Synonyms & antonyms
nounthe act of increasing (something) in size or volume or quantity or scope
nouna discussion that provides additional information
nouna photographic print that has been enlarged
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
Translations
Arabic تَوْسِيع
- تَوْسِيع (tawsīʕ)Act of making larger
Bulgarian увеличаване, уголемяване
- увеличаване (uveličavane)Act of making larger
- уголемяване (ugolemjavane)Act of making larger
Czech zvětšení, zvětšování
- zvětšeníAct of making larger
- zvětšováníAct of making larger
- zvětšeninasomething that has been made larger such as a picture or diagram
Danish forstørrelse, udvidelse
- forstørrelseAct of making larger
- udvidelseAct of making larger
- forstørrelsesomething that has been made larger such as a picture or diagram
Dutch vergroting
- vergrotingAct of making larger
Finnish suurentaminen, suurennus
- suurentaminenAct of making larger
- suurennusAct of making larger
- suurennossomething that has been made larger such as a picture or diagram
French élargissement, agrandissement
- élargissementAct of making larger
- agrandissementAct of making larger
German Vergrößerung, Erweiterung
- VergrößerungAct of making larger
- ErweiterungAct of making larger
Greek μεγέθυνση, διεύρυνση
- μεγέθυνση (megéthynsi)Act of making larger
- διεύρυνση (diévrynsi)Act of making larger
- μεγέθυνση (megéthynsi)something that has been made larger such as a picture or diagram
Italian aumento, ingrossamento
- aumentoAct of making larger
- ingrossamentoAct of making larger
- ingrandimentosomething that has been made larger such as a picture or diagram
Latin prōlātiō
- prōlātiōAct of making larger
Māori whakarahinga, whakarahinga
- whakarahingaAct of making larger
- whakarahingasomething that has been made larger such as a picture or diagram
Norwegian Bokmål forstørrelse, forstørrelse
- forstørrelseAct of making larger
- forstørrelsesomething that has been made larger such as a picture or diagram
Polish powiększenie, zwiększenie
- powiększenieAct of making larger
- zwiększenieAct of making larger
Portuguese aumento, ampliação
- aumentoAct of making larger
- ampliaçãoAct of making larger
Russian увеличе́ние
- увеличе́ние (uveličénije)Act of making larger
Spanish agrandamiento, ampliación
- agrandamientoAct of making larger
- ampliaciónsomething that has been made larger such as a picture or diagram
Swedish förstoring
- förstoringAct of making larger
Turkish büyüme
- büyümeAct of making larger
Cite this entry
enlargement. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/enlargement
“enlargement.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/enlargement. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “enlargement,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/enlargement.
Source: enlargement on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.