enlargement

American  

[en-lahrj-muhnt] / ɛnˈlɑrdʒ mənt /

noun

1. an act of enlarging; increase, expansion, or amplification.

2. anything, as a photograph, that is an enlarged form of something.

3. anything that enlarges something else; addition.

   The new wing formed a considerable enlargement to the building.

---

Other Word Forms

• preenlargement noun
• proenlargement adjective
• reenlargement noun

Etymology

Origin of enlargement

First recorded in 1530–40; enlarge + -ment

Example Sentences

The European Union's enlargement chief Marta Kos on Friday said Iceland was set for a "significant decision" with its referendum.

From Barron's • Mar. 6, 2026

From 2000 he focused on the European economy ahead of the European Union's 2004 enlargement, and subsequently oversaw coverage of economic indicators, central bank decisions and bond markets.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 27, 2026

In addition to herbal supplements, however, some cleanses include ivermectin, an antiparasitic drug used to treat river blindness and elephantitis, which leads to the painful enlargement of body parts.

From Salon • May 18, 2025

But the enlargement of life itself is profound.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 26, 2025

In postwar Greece enlargement of the male breast was a common accompaniment of periods of starvation.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson

Related Words

• augmentation
• growth