magnification
Americannoun
-
the act of magnifying or the state of being magnified.
-
the power to magnify.
-
a magnified image, drawing, copy, etc.
noun
-
the act of magnifying or the state of being magnified
-
the degree to which something is magnified
-
a copy, photograph, drawing, etc, of something magnified
-
a measure of the ability of a lens or other optical instrument to magnify, expressed as the ratio of the size of the image to that of the object
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of magnification
First recorded in 1615–25, magnification is from the Late Latin word magnificātiōn- (stem of magnificātiō ). See magnify, -fication
Explanation
Magnification is the process of making an object appear much larger than it really is. You might use magnification to inspect a rare penny, or even a zit. You decide. Some small objects, like cells, require magnification to be seen at all. Other things, like distant planets, are so far away that you need the magnification of a telescope to get a good look at them. Binoculars use magnification so you can see the details of birds close-up, and reading glasses use magnification for reading small print. Magnification comes from the Latin word magnificare, "esteem greatly" or "make much of."
Vocabulary lists containing magnification
That's Great!: Magn
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
El Deafo
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Dr Bloomer says "significant sunspot activity" is visible with solar filtering but that you need magnification when viewing with the naked eye.
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026
The process can be compared to watching ice crystals form as water freezes, captured with extremely high magnification.
From Science Daily ● Apr. 28, 2026
So you have no field of vision, but you have incredible magnification.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 12, 2026
It’s a magnification of childhood playtime, a puppet show in which the puppets have broken loose from the puppeteers.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2025
He cranked the lenses to their highest magnification and peered through them.
From "The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge" by M.T. Anderson and Eugene Yelchin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
