increase

Meanings

Verb

• (of a quantity, etc.) To become larger or greater.
• To make (a quantity, etc.) larger.
• To multiply by the production of young; to be fertile, fruitful, or prolific.
• To become more nearly full; to show more of the surface; to wax.

Noun

• An amount by which a quantity is increased.
• For a quantity, the act or process of becoming larger
• Offspring, progeny
• The creation of one or more new stitches; see Increase (knitting).

Related

Similar words

• proliferate, propagate, teem
• wax

Opposite words

• wane

Origin

• From Middle English increse, borrowed from Anglo-Norman encreistre, from Latin increscere ("increase"), present active infinitive of increscō, from in + crescō.
• The verb is from Middle English incresen, encresen.