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am·pli·fy

(ămplə-fī′)

v. am·pli·fied, am·pli·fy·ing, am·pli·fies

v.tr.

1. To make larger or more powerful; increase.

2. To add to, as by illustrations; make complete.

3. To exaggerate.

4. To produce amplification of: amplify an electrical signal.

v.intr.

To write or discourse at length; expatiate: Let me amplify so that you will understand the overall problem.

[Middle English amplifien, from Old French amplifier, from Latin amplificāre : amplus, large + -ficāre, -fy.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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