early 15c., magnificacioun, "act or state of making larger," from Old French magnificacion and directly from Late Latin magnificationem (nominative magnificatio), noun of action from past-participle stem of magnificare"esteem greatly, extol, make much of," from magnificus "great, elevated, noble," literally "doing great deeds," from magnus "great" (from PIE root *meg- "great") + combining form of facere "to make, to do" (from PIE root *dhe- "to set, put").
