Bonify

/ˈbɒnɪfaɪ/ verb

Definition

To make good or better; to improve or enhance something.

Etymology

From Latin bonificare, derived from bonus (good) and facere (to make). This verb is extremely rare in modern English, surviving mainly in historical or technical texts.

Kelly Says

Medieval and Renaissance scholars loved creating Latin-based verbs like this, but English speakers never really adopted 'bonify'—we stuck with 'improve.' This word shows which Latin coinages actually survived versus which were one-time attempts.

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