augment

American  

[awg-ment, awg-ment] / ɔgˈmɛnt, ˈɔg mɛnt /

verb (used with object)

1. to make larger; enlarge in size, number, strength, or extent; increase.

   His salary is augmented by a small inheritance.

   Synonyms:

   swell

2. Music.

   1. to raise (the upper note of an interval or chord) by a half step.

   2. to double the note values of (a theme).

      In the fugue's development the subject is augmented.

3. Grammar. to add an augment to.

4. Heraldry. to grant an augmentation to (a coat of arms).

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verb (used without object)

1. to become larger.

   Synonyms:

   increase

noun

1. Grammar. a prefixed vowel or a lengthening of the initial vowel that characterizes certain forms in the nonpresent inflection of verbs in Greek, Sanskrit, Armenian, and Phrygian.

augment British  

verb

1. to make or become greater in number, amount, strength, etc; increase

2. (tr) music to increase (a major or perfect interval) by a semitone Compare diminish

3. (tr) (in Greek and Sanskrit grammar) to prefix a vowel or diphthong to (a verb) to form a past tense

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noun

1. (in Greek and Sanskrit grammar) a vowel or diphthong prefixed to a verb to form a past tense

Usage

What does augment mean? To augment something is to add to it in a way that makes it bigger or better.The general sense of augment is used in a variety of contexts where something is literally or figuratively increased in size, number, shape, value, or in some other way.A person might augment their salary with an additional source of income. A material like metal might be augmented to make it stronger. A teacher might augment a course’s textbook with additional learning materials.The noun augmentation refers to the process of augmenting something or the thing that augments. Things that augment or things that are intended to augment can be described as augmentative.A machine or device can be described as augmentable when other parts can be added to it to improve it in some way or give it additional functionality.Augment is also used in much more specific ways in the context of music and grammar, but its general sense is much more commonly used.Example: We recently augmented our nonfiction collection with many new titles by authors from marginalized communities.

Other Word Forms

• augmentable adjective
• augmentor noun
• unaugmentable adjective
• unaugmented adjective

Etymology

Origin of augment

First recorded in 1375–1475; late Middle English au(g)menten, from Anglo-French, Middle French au(g)menter, from Late Latin augmentāre “to increase,” derivative of augmentum “an increase,” from aug(ēre) “to increase” (akin to eke ¹ ) + -mentum -ment )

Example Sentences

Today, Cosm is using its experience in display tech software to bring live sports and visually augmented movie presentations to LED screens, which have largely taken over from projector systems.

From BBC

The topic of “taking work away from lawyers” was off-limits for a recent project promoting an e-legal review product, he said, so he focused on how it augmented employees’ work.

From The Wall Street Journal

It is scary to many, but AI is going to augment labor and explode productivity.

From Barron's

But then, as the dinner continued, Hassabis brought up other hot technologies: virtual reality, augmented reality, 3-D printing.

From The Wall Street Journal

The company is cutting more than 1,000 jobs from its Reality Labs division where employees work on its virtual reality and augmented reality efforts.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• add to
• amplify
• boost
• build up
• develop
• enhance
• enlarge
• expand
• heighten
• inflate
• intensify
• multiply
• reinforce
• strengthen