Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • transitive verb To make easy or easier.
  • transitive verb To lead (a discussion), as by asking questions, mediating between opposing viewpoints, or ensuring that all participants' views are heard.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To make easy; render less difficult; free wholly or partially from difficulty or impediment; lessen the labor of: as, to facilitate learning by suitable appliances.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • transitive verb To make easy or less difficult; to free from difficulty or impediment; to lessen the labor of.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb To make easy or easier.
  • verb To help bring about
  • verb To preside over (a meeting, a seminar)

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb make easier
  • verb increase the likelihood of (a response)
  • verb be of use

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[French faciliter, from Old French, from Italian facilitare, from facile, facile, from Latin facilis; see facile.]

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Examples

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  • to make easier

    June 21, 2011