What is embiggen?

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Embiggen is a humorous, relatively uncommon verb that means to make something bigger or larger. It gained prominence through its use in the The Simpsons episode "Lisa the Iconoclast."

While "enlarge" or "increase" are more commonly used and considered standard English, "embiggen" carries a playful connotation. Its use often implies a deliberate or exaggerated attempt at expansion. The word is a playful construction that sounds like a real word due to its structure and the existence of similar words.

The origin of the word within the Simpsons is attributed to Jebediah Springfield, a fictional character in the show. The absurdity of the word's official adoption into Springfield's vocabulary is part of the episode's humor. Its appearance has contributed to the usage and recognition of embiggen over time.

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