Simplify
/ˈsɪm.plɪ.faɪ/noun
To make something easier to understand, do, or manage by reducing its complexity.
Did you know?Simplify entered English through scientific and mathematical language, ultimately combining Latin simplex—“single” or “uncompounded”—with the Greek-derived verb ending -fy, meaning “make.”
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sem-
“One; together; forming a single unit”
Classical Latin
Latin
simplex
“Single, uncompounded, not complex; literally formed from one element”
Medieval Latin
Latin
simplificare
“To make simple or render uncomplicated”
Late Middle English
English
simplifien
“To make simple; recorded in learned or technical usage”
16th Century
English
simplify
“To make less complex, especially in scholarly and scientific contexts”
Modern English
English
simplify
“To reduce complexity or make something easier to understand or manage”