Magnifications
/ˌmæɡnɪfɪˈkeɪʃənz/
nounpluralB2plural
Definition
Magnifications mean making objects appear larger than they really are. This is often done with special tools like magnifying glasses or microscopes to see small details clearly. The word is usually used when talking about how much bigger something looks compared to its real size.
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See It in Action
The process or result of making something look bigger
- •The magnifications on this microscope let us see tiny cells clearly.
- •Different magnifications show different levels of detail in the photo.
- •The jeweler used magnifications to check the small diamonds.
The amount or degree by which something is magnified
- •The lens provides magnifications of up to 10 times.
- •At higher magnifications, the image can become blurry.
- •Scientists compare magnifications to choose the best view.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "magnifications" like "big pictures," but instead of the whole picture, it's a small thing made to look bigger.
- ✓Picture looking at tiny ants through a magnifying glass and seeing them much larger than normal.
- ✓It's the feeling of surprise when you see tiny details you never noticed before because they look so big.
- ✓Sounds like "MAG-nif-i-KAY-shuns" → imagine a magic glass that makes small things look huge and clear.
- ✓Remember the story of Alice in Wonderland when she changes size—magnification is like making things look bigger without changing your size.
- ✓NOT like "enlargements" (which can mean making a photo or room bigger physically)—magnifications are about how we see things bigger, not how they actually grow.
- ✓NOT like "zoom" on a camera that changes the view—magnification is about size increase, sometimes with special lenses.
- ✓NOT like "growth" which means something actually getting bigger—magnifications only change how big something looks, not its real size.
Try Other Words
- •Zoom: making an image or object appear closer or bigger (Use when talking about cameras or screens, not physical tools)
- •Enlargement: the act of making something bigger (Use in general contexts, less technical than magnification)
- •Amplification: increasing strength or size, often of sound or signal (Use when the increase is about power, not size of objects)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "magnify" (to make bigger) + "-cation" (noun suffix) + plural "-s"
- •Etymology: From Latin "magnificare," meaning "to make great or large"
- •Historical development: Originally meant making something greater or more important, later used for physical size increase with lenses
- •Modern usage: Commonly used in science and photography to describe making small details visible by making images bigger
Reflect & Connect
•How do different magnifications help scientists understand tiny things better?
•Can magnifications change the way we feel about something by making it look bigger or more important?
Fill in the blanks
1.The microscope's magnifications ___ how much bigger the tiny cells appear under the lens.
2.At very high magnifications, images can sometimes ___ and lose clarity.
3.Magnifications are different from actual size because they only change how we ___ something.
4.When using magnifications, it's important to ___ the right level to see details clearly.
5.The jeweler used magnifications to ___ tiny flaws in the diamond.
6.Magnifications often work with lenses that ___ light to make objects look bigger.
7.Unlike zoom, magnifications focus on ___ the size of small objects, not just bringing them closer.