Etymology Map
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Enhance

3 stages from Latin to English.

Today it means to improve the quality of

Where does the word "enhance" come from? It comes from Latin altus, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
altus
Latin · ancient
"high"
the h came from Frankish 'hoh', high
2
Stage 2 of 3
enhaucier
Old French · medieval
"to raise"
Anglo-French 'enhauncer'
3
Stage 3 of 3
enhance
English · 1300s
"to raise"
'enhanced' images date from the 1900s
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Read the full story

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.