greaten

G2R1E1A1T1E1N1
UK/ˈɡɹeɪtən/

verb

To become great or large; increase; dilate.

Opposite
decreaselessen
OriginMiddle English gretnen →
Scrabble 8
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Meanings

verbgreaten (third-person singular simple present greatens, present participle greatening, simple past and past participle greatened)

present singular third person greatens · participle present greatening · participle past greatened · past greatened

  1. intransitiveTo become great or large; increase; dilate.
  2. intransitiveobsoleteTo become great with child; become pregnant.
  3. transitiveTo make great; magnify; enlarge; increase.

    one studies how how to please his prince, the other how to greaten and secure him.

    1685, Thomas Ken, sermon preached […] at Whitehall
    1 more example

    No blushes! all my body's blood / Has gone to greaten this poor heart, / That, loving, we may part.

    1860, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Parting Lovers

Synonyms & antonyms

Opposite
decreaselessen
Also see
aggrandizeaggravateaugmentelevateenlargeenrichincreasewind up

Origin

  1. Middle Englishgretnen“to become great, be pregnant”
  2. Englishgreaten

From Middle English gretnen (“to become great, be pregnant”), equivalent to great + -en.

More words from Middle English

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Latin grandēscō
  • grandēscōto become great (especially in size)

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with greaten

ClaytonsatanLeightonDraytonstraightenGaytonseitanthetanorvietan
All rhymes →

Anagrams

granteereagentrentage
Cite this entry
APA

greaten. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/greaten

MLA

“greaten.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/greaten. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “greaten,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/greaten.

Source: greaten on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.