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Where does the word "enhance" come from? It comes from Latin altus, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).
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Where does the word "enhance" come from? It comes from Latin altus, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).
Enhance’s story begins in Latin: altus meant “high.” The h came from Frankish 'hoh', high. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as enhaucier. Anglo-French 'enhauncer'. It reached English by 1300s as enhance. 'enhanced' images date from the 1900s. Today, enhance means to improve the quality of.
- Stage 1 · Latin · ancient altus "high", the h came from Frankish 'hoh', high.
- Stage 2 · Old French · medieval enhaucier "to raise", Anglo-French 'enhauncer'.
- Stage 3 · English · 1300s enhance "to raise", 'enhanced' images date from the 1900s.