darken
UK[ˈdɑːkən]US[ˈdɑːrkən]
v
To become dark or darker in colour.
v
To make something dark or darker in colour.
v
To become or make something less hopeful or positive.
Morpheme Breakdown
dark
en
dark
adjective
en
verb-forming suffix
Etymology
The word 'darken' is a transparent combination of the adjective 'dark' and the productive verb-forming suffix '-en'. The root 'dark' originates from the Old English deorc, which carried the core sense of absence of light, obscurity, and concealment. This Germanic root is thought to be related to the Proto-Indo-European base dher-, meaning "to hold" or "to support," which may have metaphorically extended to concepts of covering or obscuring. The suffix '-en', from Old English -nian, has been a consistent grammatical tool for centuries, transforming adjectives like 'dark', 'soft', or 'bright' into verbs that denote the process of becoming or causing that state. Thus, 'darken' literally means "to make or become dark," a meaning that has expanded from the purely physical to encompass metaphorical dimming, as in darkening one's mood or prospects.
Analysis
Structure: dark (adjective) + en (verb-forming suffix)
- dark: From Old English deorc, meaning "hidden, obscure, without light." It is of Germanic origin.
- en: A verb-forming suffix from Old English -nian, used to form verbs from adjectives, meaning "to become or make (adjective)."
Examples
The sky began to darken as the storm approached.
She used a tinted wash to darken the wood grain.
Recent news has served only to darken the outlook for the peace talks.