Word: proliferate (verb)

Associations

"Proliferate" means to increase or grow rapidly in number or amount.

• In biology, cells proliferate when they multiply quickly.
• Businesses can proliferate in a growing economy, meaning many new companies start.
• Ideas or rumors can proliferate when they spread fast among people. A well-known synonym is "multiply." The difference: "multiply" is more general and simple, while "proliferate" often suggests a rapid or excessive increase, sometimes with a formal or scientific tone.

Substitution

You can replace "proliferate" with:

• multiply (more general, less formal)
• spread (if talking about ideas or information)
• increase (more neutral)
• expand (if referring to size or number) Changing the word can make the sentence more casual or more specific depending on the choice.

Deconstruction

The root is "prolifer-" from Latin "proles" meaning offspring or descendants, and "ferre" meaning to bear or carry. The suffix "-ate" turns it into a verb. So, "proliferate" literally means "to bear offspring" or "to produce offspring," which fits the idea of rapid growth or increase.

Inquiry

• Can you think of something in your life or environment that seems to proliferate quickly?
• How would you describe the difference between something that "increases" slowly and something that "proliferates"?
• Can you use "proliferate" to describe both good and bad things? Why or why not?