English Explanatory Dictionary

magnify

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb
  1. To praise, glorify (someone or something, especially God).
  2. To make (something) larger or more important.
  3. To make (someone or something) appear greater or more important than it is; to intensify, exaggerate.
  4. To make (something) appear larger by means of a lens, magnifying glass, telescope etc.
  5. To have effect; to be of importance or significance.

Pronunciation

/ˈmaɡnɪfaɪ/ /ˈmæɡnɪfaɪ/ En-au-magnify.ogg

Word forms

magnify magnifies magnifying magnified magnifie

Etymology

From Middle English magnifien, from Middle French magnifier, from Latin magnificāre, from magnificus.

Synonyms

exalt extol laud aggrandize applaud enthrone appraise belaud bepraise commend cry up eulogize glorify honor idolize lionize magnify panegyrize praise puff revere speak well of transfigure venerate worthy

Related words

minify

Derived words

biomagnify demagnify magnifiable magnification magnifier magnifying glass overmagnify remagnify unmagnify

Translations

Bulgarian: увеличавам Czech: zvětšit Dutch: vergroten Finnish: suurentaa French: agrandir Galician: magnificar Georgian: გადიდება German: vergrößern Gothic: 𐌼𐌹𐌺𐌹𐌻𐌾𐌰𐌽 Greek: μεγεθύνω Ancient Greek: μεγαλύνω Hungarian: nagyít Hungarian: kinagyít Hungarian: felnagyít Ido: grandigar Interlingua: aggrandir Italian: ingrandire Italian: amplificare Italian: ingigantire Japanese: 拡大する Japanese: 大きくする Japanese: 広げる Northern Kurdish: vepejilandin Macedonian: увеличува Macedonian: зголемува Norwegian: forstørre Oromo: guddisuu Persian: بزرگ نمودن Polish: powiększać Portuguese: magnificar Portuguese: ampliar Romanian: mări Russian: увели́чивать Russian: увели́чить Slovene: približati Slovene: povečati Spanish: magnificar Swedish: förstora Ukrainian: збі́льшувати Ukrainian: збі́льшити
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