the act or process of expanding.

the state or quality of being expanded.

the amount or degree of expanding.

an expanded, dilated, or enlarged portion or form of a thing

The present article is an expansion of one he wrote last year.

anything spread out; expanse.

Mathematics .

the development at length of an expression indicated in a contracted form, as a 2 + 2 ab + b 2 for the expression ( a + b ) 2 .

any mathematical series that converges to a function for specified values in the domain of the function, as 1 + x + x 2 + for 1/(1 ? x ) when x < 1.

Machinery . that part of the operation of an engine in which the volume of the working medium increases and its pressure decreases.

an increase in economic and industrial activity ( opposed to contraction ).

noun

lessening , shrinkage , stagnation

noun

amplification , augmentation , breadth , development , diffusion , dilation , distance , distension , enlargement , evolution , expanse , extension , increase , inflation , magnification , maturation , multiplication , opening out , space , spread , stretch , swelling , unfolding , unfurling , extent , reach , sweep , dilatation , growth , proliferation , widening