-ment

(Latin: a suffix; result of, means of, act of; place of action)

The suffix -meant is a final word element derived through Middle English and French from the Latin suffix -ment(um), originally used to form agent and action nouns from verbs, now used to form nouns and denominative verbs in several related senses:

  1. "An action, process, or skill" denoted by the combining root: rearmament, tournament, management.
  2. "A result, object, or agent of an action" named by the joining root: entombment, enthrallment, agreement.
  3. "The means or instrument of an action": implement, medicament, reinforcement.
  4. "The place of an action" named by the first root: battlement, ambushment, settlement.
  5. "A state or condition" specified by the first root: bewilderment, predicament, bereavement.

The verb combinations show no change in basic form: cement, compliment, lament.

Principal parts: -menting, -mented, -mented.

Related forms: -mentum (singular); -menta, -menti, -ments (plurals).

augment (verb), augments; augmented; augmenting
1. To make or to become greater in size, number, amount, or degree; to enlarge: George will augment his income by working at the local bar at night.
2. To add something in order to improve or to complete it: Job training will augment or supplement Jim's skills as a professional carpenter.
3. Etymology: From about 1400, from Old French augmenter, from Late Latin augmentare, "to increase", from Latin augmentum, "an increase" from augere, "to increase, to make bigger, to expand, to enrich"; from Greek auxo, "increase".
To enlarge in size, amount, or degree.
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To make bigger or to increase.
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commandment (s) (noun), commandments (pl)
1: An official edict or proclamation: A commandment is an official announcement; such as, one which was put into effect when Eisenhower formally declared Alaska as the 49th state in the United States of America.
2. One of the ten significant rules of conduct that, according to the Bible, were given to Moses by God: “Thou shalt not murder” is one of the Ten Commandments in the Old Testament.
commencement
commitment
1. The act or an instance of committing; especially, the act of referring a legislative bill to committee.
2. An official consignment, as to a prison or mental health facility.
3. A court order authorizing consignment to a prison.
4. A pledge to do something pledged; especially, an engagement by contract involving financial obligation.
5. The state of being bound emotionally or intellectually to a course of action or to another person or persons; such as, a profound commitment to the family.
complement (s), complements (pl) (nouns)
compliment
comportment (s) (noun), comportments (pl)
Personal behavior, public conduct, or course of action: The positive comportment of the politician encouraged many people to vote for him.

The good comportments of the students made it easier for the teacher to teach and for the students to learn more.

Public behavior or actions.
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concealment (s) (noun), concealments (pl)
1. The action of keeping something secret; such as, the fraudulent failure to reveal information which someone knows and is aware that in good faith he or she should tell another person or authority: Such concealment can at least cause for a cancellation of a contract by the misled person or be the basis for a civil lawsuit for fraud.

2. A covering that serves to hide or to shelter something.
3. A condition of being hidden.
4. Keeping out of sight and from being seen, found, observed, or discovered.
5. Etymology: from Latin concelare; from con-, "completely" + celare, "to hide".
confinement (s) (noun), confinements (pl)
1. The act or the fact of keeping someone or something within specific limits: The students were not happy about their confinement to the dormitory by the 9 p.m. curfew.
2. The time during which a woman gives birth, including the initial contractions: Trudy's sister stayed in a private clinic during her confinement when her daughter was born.
consignment
containment (s) (noun), containments (pl)
The confinement of a hostile, or a potentially dangerous political or military force, within an existing geographical boundary or area.
convergent (s) (noun), convergents (pl)
The action or fact of drawing together.
deferment (s) (noun), deferments (pl)
1. The act of putting off, or an instance of delaying, until a future time: Janice asked her new boss, Mrs. Anderson, for a deferment of one week before she started her new position.
2. Officially sanctioned postponement of compulsory military service: Roger received notice of his deferment by mail the day before he was supposed to have reported for duty in the army.
denouncement (s) (noun), denouncements (pl)
A formal accusation, diatribe, fulmination against someone or something: Reverend Milford's denouncement from the pulpit about the cheating and extravagant behavior of city officials was strongly worded.
department