different between populous vs diffusive

English

Etymology

First used in English in the mid 15th century; from Latin populosus (“full of people, populous”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?p?pj?l?s/
• (US) enPR: päp?y?-l?s, IPA^(key): /?p?pj?l?s/
• Homophone: populace

Adjective

populous (comparative more populous, superlative most populous)

1. Having a large population.

2. (of a language) Spoken by a large number of people.
   • 1974, Victoria Fromkin, Robert Rodman, Nina M. Hyams, An Introduction to Language ?ISBN, page 524:

     The Sino-Tibetan family includes Mandarin, the most populous language in the world, spoken by more than one billion Chinese.

3. Densely populated.

4. Crowded with people.

Usage notes

• Do not confuse populace (a noun) with populous (an adjective).

Translations

English

Etymology

From post-classical Latin diffusivus (“tending to spread; expansive”) (13th century), from participle stem of Latin diffundere (“diffuse, disperse”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /d??fju?s?v/

Adjective

diffusive (comparative more diffusive, superlative most diffusive)

1. That is spread or dispersed across a wide area or among a large number of people. [from 17th c.]
2. Involving or employing many words; expansive, discursive; (in negative sense) long-winded. [from 17th c.]
   • 1791, Edward Gibbon, Memoirs of My Life, Penguin 1990, p. 182:

     I can never forget the delight with which that diffusive and ingenious orator was heard by all sides of the House, and even by those whose existence he proscribed.

3. That diffuses something; disseminating. [from 17th c.]
4. (sciences) Pertaining to diffusion. [from 19th c.]

Derived terms

• diffusive equilibrium

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /di.fy.ziv/
• Homophone: diffusives

Adjective

diffusive

1. feminine singular of diffusif

Italian

Adjective

diffusive

1. feminine plural of diffusivo

Latin

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /dif.fu??si?.u?e/, [d??f?u??s?i?u??]
• (Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /dif.fu?si.ve/, [d?if?u?s?i?v?]

Adjective

diff?s?ve

1. vocative masculine singular of diff?s?vus