What does enlarge mean?
Enlarge is a verb meaning to make something larger — whether physically bigger, wider in scope, or greater in detail. It applies naturally to concrete things such as buildings, photographs, and body organs ('an enlarged heart'), as well as to abstract ones like budgets, powers, opportunities, or one's understanding of the world. A second, more literary sense uses 'enlarge on' or 'enlarge upon' to mean discussing a topic at length or adding further detail. The word carries a neutral-to-formal tone, appearing frequently in medicine, law, photography, and academic writing, while casual conversation often favors simpler alternatives like 'expand' or 'make bigger'. Its derivatives include the noun 'enlargement' and the agent noun 'enlarger', familiar from darkroom photography. Rooted in Latin 'largo' via Old French 'large', it shares ancestry with words like largesse and largely. Enlarge is useful precisely because it bridges the physical and figurative: a company can enlarge its offices and, in the same breath, enlarge its ambitions.
verbTo make something larger in size, extent, or scope; to expand. It also means to speak or write about something at greater length or in more detail.
- To make something larger in size, extent, capacity, or scope.
- (with 'on' or 'upon') To elaborate or speak or write at greater length about a subject.
"The hospital plans to enlarge its emergency wing to serve the growing community."
"The council voted to enlarge the park by purchasing two adjoining lots."
"In her memoir she enlarges on the events that shaped her early career."
Before digital zoom, photographers literally enlarged film negatives in a darkroom — which is why printed blow-ups are still called 'enlargements'.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of enlarge
Enlarge entered English in the late Middle Ages (around the 14th–15th century) from Old French 'enlargier', formed by attaching the prefix 'en-' ('to make, cause to be') to 'large'. The ultimate root is Latin 'largus', meaning abundant or generous, the same source that gave English 'large', 'largely', and 'largesse'. Over time the word shifted from a general sense of setting free or expanding broadly toward its modern core meaning of increasing size or scope.
Related word forms
How enlarge is actually used
Enlarge is somewhat formal and is common in technical, medical, legal, and photographic contexts (e.g., an enlarged liver, an enlarged photo). In everyday speech, people often prefer simpler verbs like 'grow', 'make bigger', or 'expand'. The figurative sense 'enlarge one's mind/horizons' is slightly old-fashioned but still understood. The elaboration sense normally requires the preposition 'on' or 'upon' and leans formal or literary.
Easily confused with enlarge
Enlist means to join the armed forces or recruit help, while enlarge means to make something bigger.
Entreat means to earnestly ask or beg someone for something, whereas enlarge means to increase in size or scope.