different between diffusion vs diffuse

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin diffusionem (accusative of diffusio), from diffund?; can be decomposed as diffuse +? -ion.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /d??fju???n/
• Rhymes: -u???n

Noun

diffusion (countable and uncountable, plural diffusions)

1. The act of diffusing or dispersing something, or the property of being diffused or dispersed; dispersion.
2. (physics) The scattering of light by reflection from a rough surface, or by passage through a translucent medium.
3. (physics) The intermingling of the molecules of a fluid due to random thermal agitation.
4. The spread of cultural or linguistic practices, or social institutions, in one or more communities.
5. (marketing) The gradual spread and adoption of goods or services.
6. (physics, weather) Exchange of airborne media between regions in space in an apparently random motion of a small scale.
7. The movement of water vapor from regions of high concentration (high water vapor pressure) toward regions of lower concentration.

Translations

See also

• diffuser

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin diffusio, diffusionem. Synchronically analysable as diffuser +? -ion.

Noun

diffusion f (plural diffusions)

1. broadcasting, showing
2. dissemination, diffusion (of culture, knowledge, etc.)
3. circulation (of a news medium)
4. (physics) diffusion

Derived terms

• liste de diffusion

Related terms

• diffus
• diffuser

See also

• émission

Further reading

• “diffusion” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

English

Etymology 1

From Middle French diffuser, from Latin diff?sus, past participle of diffundere, from dis- + fundere

Pronunciation

• enPR: d?fyo?oz'
• (UK) IPA^(key): /d??fju?z/
• (US) IPA^(key): /d??fjuz/
• Rhymes: -u?z
• 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.
   • 1837, William Whewell, History of the Inductive Sciences

     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

• forspread

Derived terms

• diffuser

Translations

Etymology 2

From Middle English *diffuse (attested in adverb diffuseli), from Latin diff?sus.

Pronunciation

• enPR: d?fyo?os'
• (UK) IPA^(key): /d??fju?s/
• (US) IPA^(key): /d??fjus/
• Rhymes: -u?s

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.

Synonyms

• (not concentrated): spread out, thin; see also Thesaurus:diffuse
• (verbose): palaverous, prolix; see also Thesaurus:verbose

Derived terms

• diffusely

Translations

Related terms

• diffusion

References

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

Anagrams

• Duffies

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /di.fyz/

Verb

diffuse

1. inflection of diffuser:
   1. first/third-person singular present indicative/subjunctive
   2. second-person singular imperative

Adjective

diffuse

1. feminine singular of diffus

German

Adjective

diffuse

1. inflection of diffus:
   1. strong/mixed nominative/accusative feminine singular
   2. strong nominative/accusative plural
   3. weak nominative all-gender singular
   4. weak accusative feminine/neuter singular

Italian

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -uze

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 diff?sus (“scattered, spread”)

Adverb

diff?s? (comparative diff?sius, superlative diff?sissim?)

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

Related terms

• diff?sus

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 of diffus

Norwegian Nynorsk

Adjective

diffuse

1. definite singular of diffus
2. plural of diffus