Aumentativa

Aumentativa is a word-formation category used in some Romance languages, notably Spanish and Portuguese, to express greater size, intensity, or importance of a referent. It is typically realized through suffixes or, less commonly, through compounds, and its exact realization depends on the language and regional variety.

In Spanish, augmentatives are formed with suffixes such as -ón/-ona, -azo/-aza, and -ote/-ota. Examples include casón and casota for a large house, and cabezón for a person with a large head or stubborn demeanor. In Portuguese, common patterns include -ão/-ona and forms like casão, livrão, homão, grandão; these convey literal size or stronger emphasis and may carry affectionate, humorous, or pejorative nuances depending on tone and context.

The augmentative can be neutral, highlighting tangible size, or expressive, signaling admiration, humor, scorn, or exaggeration. Its use is highly regional and stylistic; some forms are more accepted in informal speech and may sound emphatic or jocular to speakers from other regions.

Relation to diminutives: Augmentatives contrast with diminutives, which express smallness, endearment, or softening. Both are part of derivational morphology and reflect speaker attitude toward the referent.

See also: Diminutive; Derivation (linguistics); Portuguese morphology; Spanish morphology.