Other forms: improved, improving, improves
To improve is to make something better than it was. Improve the design, conditions improved, improve on it.
It works both ways without changing form: you improve a thing and the thing improves. Improve on means to better an existing effort. Note that the word came from a French phrase about turning something to profit — improving land meant making it pay, which is where the modern sense grew from.
1verbimproveTo make something better than it was.
“Her English has improved a lot since she moved to London.”
improve is a bettering.
Anglo-Norman emprouwer comes from a phrase meaning to turn to profit, from prou, profit. Prowess and proud are relatives.
Vulgar Latin
prode — advantageous, profitable
Old French
en-
Anglo-Norman
emprouwer
English, today
improve
Built from
From Anglo-Norman emprouwer, from Old French en- + prou (“profit”), from Vulgar Latin prode (“advantageous, profitable”).
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA