diffuse
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diffuse¹
- /dɪˈfjuːz/ UK
- /dɪˈfjuz/ US
Sounds like defuse · Rhymes with -uːz
Where it comes from
From Middle French diffuser, from Latin diffūsus, past participle of diffundere, from dis- + fundere.
verb diffuses · diffusing · diffused
- To spread (something) over or through as in air, water, or other matter, especially by fluid motion or passive means. The small window diffuses light throughout the room.
- 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.
Similar: forspread
diffuse²
- /dɪˈfjuːs/ UK
- /dɪˈfjus/ US
- /ˈdɪfjuːs/ obsolete
Rhymes with -uːs
Where it comes from
From Middle English *diffuse (attested in adverb diffuseli), from Latin diffūsus.
adjective more diffuse · most diffuse
-
Everywhere or throughout everything; not focused or concentrated.
Such a diffuse effort is unlikely to produce good results.
Similar: spread out
-
Wordy; verbose.
'[…] A short account of myself, I believe, will be necessary, and it shall be a short one. On such a subject,' sighing heavily, 'I can have little temptation to be diffuse.'
Similar: palaverous
Similar: thin, prolix, diffuse, dispersed, incompact, loose, noncompact, scattered, spaced out, sparse, uncompact · Opposite: compact, dense
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: disseminate, disperse, propagate, spread out, pervade, spread, circulate, circularize, broadcast, imbue, permeate, distribute, prolix, fan out, circularise, distributed
verb
Similar: forspread
Translations
Every language
verb (transitive) to spread over or through
| 中文 | 扩散 kuòsàn, 渗出 shènchū |
|---|---|
| Português | difundir |
| Français | diffuser |
| Deutsch | diffundieren |
| Русский | рассе́ивать rasséivatʹ, рассе́ять rasséjatʹ, распространя́ть rasprostranjátʹ, распространи́ть rasprostranítʹ |
| Tiếng Việt | khuếch tán, lan toả |
verb (intransitive) to be spread over or through
| 中文 | 被扩散, 使渗出 |
|---|---|
| Português | difundir |
| Français | se diffuser |
| Deutsch | diffundieren |
| Русский | рассе́иваться rasséivatʹsja, рассе́яться rasséjatʹsja, распространя́ться rasprostranjátʹsja, распространи́ться rasprostranítʹsja |
Talk about this word "diffuse." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/diffuse. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026. diffuse. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/diffuse "diffuse." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 5, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/diffuse.Cite this
@misc{diffuse_2026,
title = {diffuse},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/diffuse},
urldate = {2026-11-05}
}
