lighten
UK[ˈlaɪt(ə)n]US[ˈlaɪtn]
v
to become brighter or less dark
v
to make something less heavy in weight
v
to make a feeling or situation less serious, severe, or sad
Morpheme Breakdown
light
en
light
bright, not heavy
en
verb-forming suffix
Etymology
the word "lighten" is a native english formation, built upon the old english root "leoht," which itself descends from proto-germanic leuhtaz, meaning "light, bright." this root is further traced back to the proto-indo-european root leuk-, meaning "light, brightness." the suffix "-en" is a productive verb-forming element in english, originating from old english "-nian," used to create verbs meaning "to make or become." the semantic logic is direct: the verb "lighten" inherits the core senses of its root "light," applying the action of "making or becoming" to both its primary meanings—reducing weight and increasing illumination—and by extension, to alleviating emotional or situational burdens.
Analysis
Structure: light (bright, not heavy) + en (verb-forming suffix)
light (old english, meaning "bright, not heavy, having little weight"), en (old english, a verb-forming suffix meaning "to make or become")
Examples
the sky began to lighten just before dawn.
they removed the engine to lighten the aircraft.
he told a joke to lighten the tense atmosphere in the room.