What is "augmentative"

Augmentative \Aug*ment"a*tive\, n. (Gram.) A word which expresses with augmented force the idea or the properties of the term from which it is derived; as, dullard, one very dull. Opposed to diminutive.
--Gibbs.

Augmentative \Aug*ment"a*tive\, a. [Cf. F. augmentatif.] Having the quality or power of augmenting; expressing augmentation. -- Aug*ment"a*tive*ly, adv.

c.1500, from Middle French augmentatif (14c.), from Latin augmentat-, stem of augmentare (see augment).

a. Growing, enlarging, increasing. n. (context grammar English) A form of word that expresses large size, intensity, or seniority

1. adj. increasing or having the power to increase especially in size or amount or degree; "`up' is an augmentative word in `hurry up'"

2. intensifying by augmentation and enhancement [syn: enhancive]

An augmentative ( abbreviated ) is a morphological form of a word which expresses greater intensity, often in size but also in other attributes. It is the opposite of a diminutive.

Since overaugmenting something often makes it grotesque, in some languages augmentatives are used primarily for comical effect or as pejoratives.

Many languages have augmentatives for nouns; some have augmentatives for verbs.