The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines "embiggen" as "to make bigger or more expansive". Coined in 1996 by The Simpsons writer Dan Greaney, and used in the Season 7 episode, "Lisa The Iconoclast", the word was later added to the dictionary in 2018 (thanks to Ms Marvel using it), making it totally legitimate to use in an essay.
So, it stands to reason that Nintendo is just... using a normal, ordinary word, with no knowledge of its provenance, right? Well, maybe, but we like to think that whoever's writing scripts for Nintendo events and trailers is a massive Simpsons fan. In fact, we'd like to implore them, if they're reading this: please bring back The Simpsons: Hit & Run. We promise we'll play it.
We aren't going to pretend that we've found every instance of "embiggen"s slipping into Nintendo's trailers - none of us really fancy the idea of scrubbing through every Nintendo video ever - but we've found two, and that's enough proof for us. Today's Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury trailer included the quote "they may just embiggen your chances" when referring to power-ups, and a Treehouse stream from a year ago had one streamer saying "let's actually embiggen him" while talking about Super Mario Maker 2.
You're probably thinking, "wow, I guess it's a slow news day over at Nintendo Life HQ", but you'd be wrong. We just really like The Simpsons. And embiggening things.
Comments 43
@KateGray Actually embiggen was added to the dictionary in 2018, not 1998, largely because of a resurgence in popularity from Ms Marvel using it around the time.
I will believe it when they use "D'oh" in their next script
A testament to the brilliance of the show's early writers. What other show has left such an impression on popular culture? (and with a quote for virtually every occasion?)
Sad that they have since produced around two decades worth of forgettable, often cringe-inducing garbage though. The quality has since fluctuated over the years, but I'm not terribly keen on watching it again with any regularity unless they issue the HD seasons on Blu-ray.
Ms Marvel uses embiggen rather a lot.
I always assumed it was a real word. Didn't know that The Simpsons made it up.
Same person probably worked on Triforce Heroes.
@crimsontadpoles : An easy mistake to make, as it is a perfectly cromulent word.
@Silly_G there was actually a pretty solid episode centered around Principle Skinner and Superintendent Chalmers in the most recent season. Other than that though, yea they haven't quite been as funny
Didn't realise it was related to the Simpsons, I just assumed you used it if you were a bit fancy. Like how some people draw a bath instead of running it.
Maybe Lionel Hutz, Miguel Sanchez, or Homer J. Simpsoy are working for Nintendo now?🤔
God, I wish Simpsons Hit & Run got a port or remake, or sequel. A sequel with the OG classic simpsons writers would be amazing.
Anybody know which game sold more, Simpsons Hit & Run or The Simpsons Game? I only played Hit & Run.
@GamePerson19 : The sounded like a promising concept for a more recent episode. I can't help but suspect that it was produced in response to the immense popularity of the steamed hams scene from season 7's 22 Short Films About Springfield.
It's usually the smaller scale "back to basics" episodes in the latter seasons that still work really well. I remember really enjoying Puffless, and the episode where Selma and Grandpa get married was fun. The last "classic" episode from the more modern seasons that I can recall is Eternal Moonshine of the Simpson Mind, though I stopped watching the show after around Season 23-24 as I finally lost interest after enduring over a decade of mediocrity. While the show has been in decline since Season 8 (even though I love most of Season 8), Season 12 is the last "classic" season in my eyes. Season 13 was the first time where I was left scratching my head and wondering what the hell happened to the show (incidentally Al Jean has been the sole executive producer since then [though others have since stepped in for the odd episode] and should have been long-replaced).
I ended up blocking every idiot who complained about "slow news day" articles.
Scroll past and shut up.
In other news im at work and always happy to read a new article, no matter how silly or obscure. Keep up the good work NL
Simpsons already did it.
@jump d'oh, I actually knew that - I even used the tweet as the reference, and everyone knows Twitter hadn't been invented in 1998! Cheers for the heads up, I'll correct it
@pixelpatch The silly and obscure stuff is what keeps me going through all the sales figures posts
Someone said the word "bigness" to me the other day. I refused to continue until they acknowledged that the word "size" already exists. (and has the identical meaning in the way it was being used)
I've noticed this too, it happened like the day after embiggen was officially added an a word to the dictionary in one of Nintendo's videos, might have been a Labor video as I recall. Someone must be a Simpsons tan at Nintendo. They use Meh for ratings and stuff too, that word also originates (or at least first had pop culture relevance) in The Simpsons.
@Dezzy how about "biggitude"?
Embiggen was actually said in the actual Super Mario Maker 2 Direct. Actually.
For a second I thought this was an announcement of a new SwitchSimpsons game or a port/remaster of one of the (good) ones. I guess, just have to wait some more...
Honestly, if I worked in a position like that, I'd try to sneak in nice little-used dictionary Easter eggs too.
Jebediah Springfield had a prosthetic tongue made out of silver!
@KateGray I just realized, Universal Studios also has a Simpsons themed area of their park in Florida, called Springfield. Maybe using "embiggen" is just a friendly cross marketing thing. Forgive me if I'm extremely late to the party realizing that.
If bowser says “excellent...” in a mr burns voice I’m gonna lose it
Someone's been reading a lot of Ms. Marvel
Simpson’s did it!
Or they really like Ms. Marvel, she uses that term often.
The Webster dictionary is wrong it's full of misspelt words. The Collins English dictionary is the only authority.
Perfectly cromulent article.
@Rohanrocks88 do they sell Krusty Partially Gelatinated Non-Dairy Gum-Based Beverages
@RudyC3 his actual name was Hans Sprungfeld
I feel like you've embiggened the significance of this
Love for Nintendo AND The Simpsons, no wonder NL is my go to site. Great to see other Simpsons fans here as well.
Are you sure the term wasn't coined by Dr. Seuss in "The Lorax"? I know a similar term was used at the very least.
This is a perfectly cromulent post, not sure why people are up in arms about it.
@Bobb
Boy howdy, does Wario ever have news for you.
@AlexSora89 Hahahahahaha
I had completely forgotten Wario's dialog!
Well, I'm convinced now
What's wild to me is the woman who writes Ms Marvel took credit for coming up with it when it was added to the dictionary while also acknowledging she read it in Photoshop or some program.
@KateGray Keep up the good work, love your articles Kate!
@pixelpatch aw, thanks, pixel!
This was a fantastic article! Never left a comment until now, huge Simpsons fan, especially like S3-10 or so. Didn't know this, loved learning about the word being coined and legitimized by a writer, very cool. Of course Nintendo has Simpsons nerds whose main character very much does embiggen (ya gotta shoot your shot!). Your ending was better, perfect button. Thanks this made my day😃
You mean a word coined atleast as far back as 1884 in a British Medical Journal called Notes and Queries: A Medium of Intercommunication for Literary Men, General Readers, Etc. A simple searched would’ve made you look less lazy.
Ay Caramba! That's crazy!
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