Did you know?
Enhance Has Latin Roots
When enhance was borrowed into English in the 13th century, it literally meant to raise something higher. That sense, though now obsolete, provides a clue about the origins of the word. Enhance, which was spelled enhauncen in Middle English, comes to us from Anglo-French enhaucer or enhauncer ("to raise"), which can be traced back to the Latin altus ("high") by way of an assumed Vulgar Latin verb inaltiare, which would have been formed by combining the prefix in- with the Latin altus. Although enhance initially applied only to physically making things higher, it developed an additional and less literal sense of "to exalt especially in rank or spirit," and quickly acquired extended figurative senses for raising the value or attractiveness of something or someone.
Synonyms
Examples of enhance in a Sentence
Michael Santorelli, Forbes, 26 Sep. 2024
And that's largely through using drugs that can enhance the immune control of HIV.
—Dana Taylor, USA TODAY, 26 Sep. 2024
This lengthening mascara contains conic polymer tubing technology that wraps snugly around each lash to enhance the length of each.
—Deanna Pai, Allure, 25 Sep. 2024
Cartier has taken the lead in the luxury industry by introducing the Weixin Channels + mini-program dual touchpoint live broadcast strategy, focusing on enhancing the user’s exhibition journey.
—WWD, 25 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for enhance 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'enhance.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near enhance
Cite this Entry
“Enhance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/enhance. Accessed 1 Oct. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
enhance
verb
Share