Amelioration

/əˌmiːliəˈreɪʃən/ noun

Definition

The act or process of making something better or improving its condition.

Etymology

From Latin 'ameliorare' (to make better), combining 'ad-' (to) and 'melior' (better). The word evolved through Old French and entered English in the 16th century to describe improvement or betterment of conditions.

Kelly Says

This word is practically a cousin of 'meliorate'—both come from the same Latin root meaning 'better.' The prefix 'a-' essentially means 'make,' so amelioration literally means 'making-better.' You'll hear it in soil science, where farmers talk about soil amelioration to improve crop yields.

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