diffuse

See also: diffusé

English

Etymology 1

From Middle French diffuser, from Latin diffūsus, past participle of diffundere, from dis- + fundere

Pronunciation

  • enPR: dĭfyo͞oz'
  • (UK) IPA(key): /dɪˈfjuːz/
  • (US) IPA(key): /dɪˈfjuz/
  • Audio (US)(file)
  • Rhymes: -uːz
  • Homophone: defuse

Verb

diffuse (third-person singular simple present diffuses, present participle diffusing, simple past and past participle diffused)

  1. (transitive) To spread over or through as in air, water, or other matter, especially by fluid motion or passive means.
    • Whewell
      We find this knowledge diffused among all civilized nations.
  2. (intransitive) To be spread over or through as in air, water, or other matter, especially by fluid motion or passive means.
    Food coloring diffuses in water.
    The riot diffused quite suddenly.
Usage notes

The words diffuse and defuse are sometimes confused.

Synonyms
Derived terms
Translations

Etymology 2

From Middle English *diffuse (attested in adverb diffuseli), from Latin diffūsus.

Pronunciation

  • enPR: dĭfyo͞os'
  • (UK) IPA(key): /dɪˈfjuːs/
  • (US) IPA(key): /dɪˈfjus/
  • Audio (US)(file)
  • Rhymes: -uːs

Adjective

diffuse (comparative more diffuse, superlative most diffuse)

  1. Everywhere or throughout everything; not focused or concentrated.
    Such a diffuse effort is unlikely to produce good results.
  2. Wordy; verbose.
Derived terms
Translations

References

  • diffuse in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913

Anagrams

French

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /difyz/

Verb

diffuse

  1. first-person singular present indicative of diffuser
  2. third-person singular present indicative of diffuser
  3. first-person singular present subjunctive of diffuser
  4. third-person singular present subjunctive of diffuser
  5. second-person singular imperative of diffuser

Adjective

diffuse

  1. feminine singular of diffus

German

Adjective

diffuse

  1. inflected form of diffus

Italian

Verb

diffuse

  1. third-person singular past historic of diffondere

Participle

diffuse

  1. feminine plural of diffuso

Adjective

diffuse

  1. feminine plural of diffuso

Latin

Etymology

From diffūsus (“scattered, spread”)

Adverb

diffūsē (comparative diffūsius, superlative diffūsissimē)

  1. diffusely, in a scattered manner.
  2. copiously, fully

References

  • diffuse in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
  • Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, 1st edition. (Oxford University Press)

Norwegian Bokmål

Adjective

diffuse

  1. definite singular of diffus
  2. plural form of diffus

Norwegian Nynorsk

Adjective

diffuse

  1. definite singular of diffus
  2. plural form of diffus
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