Growing or becoming greater in amount, degree, or frequency over time; more and more.
From Latin 'increscere' meaning 'to grow upon or into,' from 'in-' (into) plus 'crescere' (to grow). The English form developed in the 14th century from Old French, with the adverbial '-ly' form emerging later to describe the manner of growth.
The word shares its root with 'crescent' (the growing moon) and 'crescendo' (growing louder in music) - all capturing the idea of something expanding or intensifying. Interestingly, we often use 'increasingly' to describe trends that worry us, perhaps because gradual growth can be more alarming than sudden change.
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