enlargement

enlargement — noun

1. the process by which something increases in size, amount, or scope, or the resul

1.nounB2
Definition

the process by which something increases in size, amount, or scope, or the result of that change — for example, the enlargement of a company's office space, or a noticeable enlargement of a gland during illness.

Example

The enlargement of the local library took over two years to finish.

collocation: enlargement of [building/body part/organisation]

After the infection, Yael noticed a painful enlargement in her neck that worried her.

Common collocations
  • enlargement of [noun]
  • gradual enlargement
  • significant enlargement
  • slight enlargement
  • noticeable enlargement
Synonyms
  • expansion

    suggests outward spread or growth in area; more active than 'enlargement'

  • increase

    more general, works for numbers and amounts; 'enlargement' is rarer for abstract quantities

  • growth

    implies natural or organic development; 'enlargement' can be deliberate or unintended

Antonyms
  • reduction

    the act of making something smaller in size or amount

  • shrinkage

    a decrease in size, often from external causes

Grammar Patterns

enlargement + of + noun phrase

Common Mistakes

There has been an enlargement in prices this year.
There has been an increase in prices this year.
'enlargement' is mainly used for physical size or scope, not for abstract numerical rises.

2. a physical copy of a photograph printed at a larger size than the original negat

2.nounB2
Definition

a physical copy of a photograph printed at a larger size than the original negative or digital image, usually by projecting the image onto photosensitive paper.

Example

Lara ordered an enlargement of her wedding photo to hang in the living room.

collocation: order an enlargement of [a photograph]

The photographer showed Dewi several enlargements of the best shots from that day.

Common collocations
  • order an enlargement
  • print an enlargement
  • frame an enlargement
  • make an enlargement
Synonyms
  • blow-up

    informal synonym for an enlarged photograph

  • print

    broader term; an enlargement is one type of photographic print

Antonyms
  • thumbnail

    a very small version of an image, especially in digital contexts

Grammar Patterns

an enlargement of [photograph/image]

Usage Note

This sense refers only to a physical printed copy of a photograph, not to digital resizing on a screen. For the action of making an image bigger on a computer, use the verb 'enlarge' instead.

Common Mistakes

I made an enlargement of the picture on my phone screen.
I enlarged the picture on my phone screen.
'enlargement' means a physical printed copy; the digital action uses the verb 'enlarge'.

Word family

  • enlarge
    verbB2
  • enlarged
    adjectiveB2
  • enlarger
    nounC1
  • enlargingly
    adverbC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

While 'enlargement', 'expansion', 'increase', 'growth', and 'extension' all describe something becoming larger, they differ in scope and typical use. 'Enlargement' often refers to a physical change in size — a building, a body part, or a territory — and can describe either a deliberate act (an office enlargement) or an involuntary result (gland enlargement). 'Expansion' suggests an active, outward spread, frequently in business or geographical contexts (market expansion, territorial expansion). 'Increase' is the most general term, used for any rise in number, amount, or intensity (price increase, temperature increase). 'Growth' implies natural or organic development (population growth, plant growth). 'Extension' focuses on lengthening in time or space (visa extension, road extension). For physical enlargement of a structure or organ, 'enlargement' and 'expansion' overlap most closely, but 'expansion' typically conveys a purposeful outward push while 'enlargement' is neutral about intention.

expansion ↗increase ↗growth ↗extension ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • enlargement of [noun]
  • undergo enlargement
  • need an enlargement
  • order an enlargement

Prepositions

Etymology

Old FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

From the verb 'enlarge', which entered Middle English from Old French 'enlargier', combining the prefix 'en-' (meaning 'to make, put into') with 'large' (meaning 'wide, broad'). The suffix '-ment' turns the verb into a noun indicating the process or result. The word has been used in English since the 15th century. The photographic sense emerged in the mid-1800s after the invention of techniques to project negatives onto paper at a larger size.