diffuse

[ verb dih-fyooz; adjective dih-fyoos ]
See synonyms for: diffusediffuseddiffusesdiffusing on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object),dif·fused, dif·fusing.
  1. to pour out and spread, as a fluid.

  2. to spread or scatter widely or thinly; disseminate.

  1. Physics. to spread by diffusion.

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

  2. Physics. to intermingle by diffusion.

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

  2. widely spread or scattered; dispersed.

  1. Botany. widely or loosely spreading.

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

Origin of diffuse

1
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

Words Nearby diffuse

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use diffuse in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for diffuse

diffuse

verb(dɪˈfjuːz)
  1. to spread or cause to spread in all directions

  2. to undergo or cause to undergo diffusion

  1. to scatter or cause to scatter; disseminate; disperse

adjective(dɪˈfjuːs)
  1. spread out over a wide area

  2. lacking conciseness

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

  2. characterized by or exhibiting diffusion: diffuse light; diffuse reflection

  3. botany (of plant growth) occurring throughout a tissue

Origin of diffuse

1
C15: from Latin diffūsus spread abroad, from diffundere to pour forth, from dis- away + fundere to pour

confusable For diffuse

Avoid confusion with defuse

Derived forms of diffuse

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012