diffuse

[ verb dih-fyooz; adjective dih-fyoos ]

/ verb dɪˈfyuz; adjective dɪˈfyus /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR diffuse ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object), dif·fused, dif·fusing.

to pour out and spread, as a fluid.

to spread or scatter widely or thinly; disseminate.

Physics. to spread by diffusion.

verb (used without object), dif·fused, dif·fusing.

to spread.

Physics. to intermingle by diffusion.

adjective

characterized by great length or discursiveness in speech or writing; wordy.

widely spread or scattered; dispersed.

Botany. widely or loosely spreading.

Optics. (of reflected light) scattered, as from a rough surface (opposed to specular).

Origin of diffuse

1350–1400; Middle English (< Anglo-French) < Latin diffūsus spread, poured forth. See dif-, fuse²

OTHER WORDS FROM diffuse

dif·fuse·ly

[dih-fyoos-lee] /dɪˈfyus li/, adverb dif·fuse·ness, noun in·ter·dif·fuse, verb, in·ter·dif·fused, in·ter·dif·fus·ing. non·dif·fuse, adjective

non·dif·fused, adjective non·dif·fus·ing, adjective o·ver·dif·fuse, verb, o·ver·dif·fused, o·ver·dif·fus·ing, adjective o·ver·dif·fuse·ly, adverb o·ver·dif·fuse·ness, noun re·dif·fuse, verb, re·dif·fused, re·dif·fus·ing. un·dif·fused, adjective well-dif·fused, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH diffuse

defuse diffuse

Words nearby diffuse

diffraction halo, diffraction pattern, diffractive, diffractometer, diffusate, diffuse, diffuse abscess, diffuse cataract, diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis, diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis, diffuse mesangial proliferation

Example sentences from the Web for diffuseness

Their besetting sins are diffuseness and the recurrence of stock descriptions and images.

A Short History of French Literature |George Saintsbury
But its colour and poesy do not compensate for the diffuseness of the plot and the undramatic conclusion.

Balzac |Frederick Lawton
The lectures are written in simple style, but suffer from diffuseness.

Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 6, Slice 3 |Various
His writings are all interesting and informing, but in general suffer from his tendency to diffuseness.

A Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature |John W. Cousin

He was indulgent to the diffuseness of a suffering soul, and permitted her to pour out freely her most trivial afflictions.

Germinie Lacerteux |Edmond and Jules de Goncourt

British Dictionary definitions for diffuseness

diffuse

verb (dɪˈfjuːz)

to spread or cause to spread in all directions

to undergo or cause to undergo diffusion

to scatter or cause to scatter; disseminate; disperse

adjective (dɪˈfjuːs)

spread out over a wide area

lacking conciseness

(esp of some creeping stems) spreading loosely over a large area

characterized by or exhibiting diffusion diffuse light; diffuse reflection

botany (of plant growth) occurring throughout a tissue

Derived forms of diffuse

diffusely (dɪˈfjuːslɪ), adverb diffuseness, noun diffusible (dɪˈfjuːzəbəl), adjective diffusibility or diffusibleness, noun

Word Origin for diffuse

C15: from Latin diffūsus spread abroad, from diffundere to pour forth, from dis- away + fundere to pour

undefined diffuse

Avoid confusion with defuse

Medical definitions for diffuseness

diffuse

[ dĭ-fyōōs′ ]

adj.

Not limited to one tissue or location; widespread.

v.

To spread or to be spread widely, as through a tissue.

Other words from diffuse

dif•fus′i•ble (-fyōō′zə-bəl) adj.

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

diffuse

verb (used with object), dif·fused, dif·fusing.

verb (used without object), dif·fused, dif·fusing.

adjective

Origin of diffuse

OTHER WORDS FROM diffuse

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH diffuse

Words nearby diffuse

Example sentences from the Web for diffuseness

British Dictionary definitions for diffuseness

verb (dɪˈfjuːz)

adjective (dɪˈfjuːs)

Derived forms of diffuse

Word Origin for diffuse

undefined diffuse

Medical definitions for diffuseness

adj.

v.

Other words from diffuse

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

diffuse

verb (used with object), dif·fused, dif·fusing.

verb (used without object), dif·fused, dif·fusing.

adjective

Origin of diffuse

OTHER WORDS FROM diffuse

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH diffuse

Words nearby diffuse

Words related to diffuseness

Example sentences from the Web for diffuseness

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for diffuseness

verb (dɪˈfjuːz)

adjective (dɪˈfjuːs)

Derived forms of diffuse

Word Origin for diffuse

undefined diffuse

Medical definitions for diffuseness

adj.

v.

Other words from diffuse

British Dictionary definitions for diffuseness