Origin: Latin suffix -ify
Simplify has 2 different meanings across 1 category:
make simpler or easier or reduce in complexity or extent
"We had to simplify the instructions"
"this move will simplify our lives"
To make simpler, either by reducing in complexity, reducing to component parts, or making easier to understand.
"The teacher decided to simplify the complex physics problem so that every student could follow the steps without confusion."
In plain English: To simplify something means to make it easier by removing unnecessary parts so that only what is important remains.
"The teacher simplified the instructions so that everyone could follow them easily."
Usage: Use simplify when you want to reduce the complexity of something so it is easier to understand or manage. Avoid confusing this with "complicate," which means to add unnecessary difficulty rather than remove it.
From the French simplifier, equivalent to simple + -ify.