sensationalize

The word 'sensationalize' is a modern English formation built upon the older noun 'sensation'. 'Sensation' itself originates from the Latin sentire, meaning "to feel, perceive," a verb derived from the Proto-Indo-European root sent- meaning "to head for, go," which evolved to signify mental direction and perception. By adding the adjectival suffix '-al' (creating 'sensational'), the meaning shifts to "pertaining to or causing a strong feeling." Finally, the productive verb-forming suffix '-ize' is appended, meaning "to make or treat in a certain way." Thus, the literal morphemic logic is "to make (something) pertain to strong feeling," which evolved into the modern abstract meaning of deliberately presenting information to provoke intense, often superficial, public reaction.

Structure: sensation (sense) + al (adjective suffix) + ize (verb suffix) - sensation: From Latin sensation- (stem of sensatio), from sensatus (endowed with sense), from sensus (sense, feeling). Functions as the core noun root. - al: A suffix of Latin origin (-alis) used to form adjectives meaning "of or pertaining to". - ize: A verb-forming suffix from Greek -izein via Latin -izare, meaning "to make, to become, to subject to an action".