attenuation

[ uh-ten-yoo-ey-shuh n ]
/ əˌtɛn yuˈeɪ ʃən /

noun

the act of attenuating or the state of being attenuated.
the process by which a virus, bacterium, etc., changes under laboratory conditions to become harmless or less virulent.
Physics. a decrease in a property, as energy, per unit area of a wave or a beam of particles, occurring as the distance from the source increases as a result of absorption, scattering, spreading in three dimensions, etc.

Origin of attenuation

1585–95; (< Middle French) < Latin attenuātiōn- (stem of attenuātiō). See attenuate, -ion

OTHER WORDS FROM attenuation

sub·at·ten·u·a·tion, noun

Example sentences from the Web for attenuation

British Dictionary definitions for attenuation

attenuation
/ (əˌtɛnjʊˈeɪʃən) /

noun

the act of attenuating or the state of being attenuated
the loss of energy suffered by radiation as it passes through matter, esp as a result of absorption or scattering

Medical definitions for attenuation

attenuation
[ ə-tĕn′yōō-āshən ]

n.

A dilution, thinning, or weakening of a substance, especially a reduction in the virulence of a pathogen through repeated inoculation, growth in a different culture medium, or exposure to heat, light, air, or other weakening agents.
The energy loss of an ultrasonic beam as it passes through a material.