Aug″ment (�), n. [L. augmentum: cf. F. augment.] 1. Enlargement by addition; increase.
2. (Gram.) A vowel prefixed, or a lengthening of the initial vowel, to mark past time, as in Greek and Sanskrit verbs.
☞ In Greek, the syllabic augment is a prefixed �, forming an intial syllable; the temporal augment is an increase of the quantity (time) of an initial vowel, as by changing � to �.