inflate
Meaning
to fill something with air or gas so it becomes larger
to increase something by a large amount, especially prices or the amount of money available
to make someone seem more important or impressive than they really are
Structure
Usage
you need to inflate the balloons before the party.
the government's policies helped to inflate the housing market bubble.
he has a tendency to inflate his own role in the project's success.
Etymology
the word 'inflate' originates from the latin verb inflare, a compound of the prefix in- ('into') and the verb flare ('to blow'). this literal sense of 'blowing into' something to expand it was carried directly into english. the core root fla- (to blow) can be traced back to the proto-indo-european root bhle-, which also gives rise to words like 'blast' and 'blow'. over time, the meaning expanded metaphorically from physically filling with air to describing economic expansion (inflating prices) or the puffing up of one's ego or importance.
Analysis
in- (latin prefix, meaning 'in, into'); flate (from latin root flat-, meaning 'to blow')