Diffuse: meaning, definitions and examples

๐Ÿ’จ
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diffuse

 

[ dษชหˆfjuz ]

Verb / Adjective
Context #1 | Verb

spread light

To diffuse means to spread out or scatter light, heat, or a substance over a wide area. It can also refer to the process of making something less concentrated or more widely distributed.

Synonyms

disperse, scatter, spread.

Examples of usage

  • The sun's rays diffuse through the clouds.
  • The fragrance from the flowers began to diffuse into the air.
  • The sound of the music diffused throughout the park.
Context #2 | Verb

reduce tension

To diffuse can also mean to reduce the intensity of a situation or to calm emotions. It suggests a gentle or effective way of easing tension or conflict.

Synonyms

alleviate, calm, mitigate.

Examples of usage

  • She tried to diffuse the tension in the room with a joke.
  • The manager stepped in to diffuse the argument between coworkers.
  • They organized a meeting to diffuse the growing discontent among the staff.
Context #3 | Adjective

spread out

When used as an adjective, diffuse describes something that is spread out or not concentrated. It often refers to writing or speech that is wordy and lacks clarity.

Synonyms

dispersed, spread, widely scattered.

Examples of usage

  • The diffuse light created a soft atmosphere.
  • Her diffuse writing style made it hard to follow her argument.
  • A diffuse network of roads crisscrossed the countryside.

Translations

Translations of the word "diffuse" in other languages:

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น difundir

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ เคตเคฟเค•เคธเคฟเคค เค•เคฐเคจเคพ

๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช verbreiten

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ menyebarkan

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ั€ะพะทะฟะพะฒััŽะดะถัƒะฒะฐั‚ะธ

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฑ rozpraszaฤ‡

๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต ๆ‹กๆ•ฃใ™ใ‚‹

๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท diffuser

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ difundir

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท yaymak

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท ํผ๋œจ๋ฆฌ๋‹ค

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ูŠู†ุดุฑ

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ ลกรญล™it

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ ลกรญriลฅ

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ๆ‰ฉๆ•ฃ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฎ ลกiriti

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ธ dreifa

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ฟ ั‚ะฐั€ะฐั‚ัƒ

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช แƒ’แƒแƒ•แƒ แƒชแƒ”แƒšแƒ”แƒ‘แƒ

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฟ yaymaq

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ difundir

Etymology

The word 'diffuse' originates from the Latin word 'diffundere', which means 'to pour out' or 'to spread'. The prefix 'dis-' means apart, and 'fundere' means to pour. This etymology reflects the fundamental idea of spreading or scattering something over a larger area. The term entered the English language in the early 17th century, adopting both its verb form and its use as an adjective. Over time, 'diffuse' has been used in various contexts, including science, literature, and everyday conversation, to describe phenomena of spreading or dispersing. In scientific contexts, it often refers to the movement of substances from areas of high concentration to areas of lower concentration, a principle commonly encountered in chemistry and physics.

Word Frequency Rank

At #7,068 in frequency, this word belongs to advanced vocabulary. It's less common than core vocabulary but important for sophisticated expression.