1650s, "a greatening, enlarging, advancement," usually not in a physical sense, from French agrandissement, formerly also aggrandissement, noun of action from agrandir "to augment" (see aggrandize).
Entries linking to aggrandizement
aggrandize v.
1630s, "to make larger, increase," from French agrandiss-, present-participle stem of agrandir "to augment, enlarge" (16c.), ultimately from Latin ad "to" (see ad-) + grandire "to make great," from grandis "big, great; full, abundant" (see grand (adj.)). The double -g- spelling in English (also formerly in French) is by analogy with Latin words in ad-. Related: Aggrandized; aggrandizing.
aggrandisement n.
chiefly British English spelling of aggrandizement; for suffix, see -ize.