embiggen
/ɛmˈbɪɡən/
verb
Origin
English
en- + big + -en — causative prefix + big + causative suffix
Overview
Meaning Now
- To make larger or more expansive.
- To increase in size or significance (often used humorously or ironically).
Literal older meaning
to cause to become big
Language path
English
Earliest form
embiggen
Earliest period
1996
Journey
The word was coined by writer Dan Greaney for the 1996 episode 'Lisa the Iconoclast' of the animated series 'The Simpsons', where it is used by a character as part of the town's motto: 'A noble spirit embiggens the smallest man.' The word's construction follows standard English morphological rules, mimicking older verbs like 'enlarge' or 'embolden', which contributed to its rapid adoption into the English lexicon.
Evolution
- 1996
embiggen
“to make something big”
Coined for a satirical episode of The Simpsons
- Early 21st century
embiggen
“to expand or enlarge”
Transitioned into common usage in informal and tech-related contexts
Connections
Word parts
em-
prefix
causative/to make
big
root
large
-en
suffix
causative/to become
Explore next
Related to embiggen
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.