dilute

[ dih-loot, dahy-; adjective also dahy-loot ]
See synonyms for: dilutediluted on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object),di·lut·ed, di·lut·ing.
  1. to make (a liquid) thinner or weaker by the addition of water or the like.

  2. to make fainter, as a color.

  1. to reduce the strength, force, or efficiency of by admixture.

verb (used without object),di·lut·ed, di·lut·ing.
  1. to become diluted.

adjective
  1. reduced in strength, as a chemical by admixture; weak: a dilute solution.

Origin of dilute

1
1545–55; <Latin dīlūtus washed away, dissolved (past participle of dīluere), equivalent to dī-di-2 + -lūtus, combining form of lautus (lav(ere) to wash + -tus past participle suffix)

Other words for dilute

Other words from dilute

  • di·lut·er, di·lu·tor, noun
  • di·lu·tive, adjective
  • an·ti·di·lu·tive, adjective
  • o·ver·di·lute, verb, o·ver·di·lut·ed, o·ver·di·lut·ing.
  • un·di·lute, adjective
  • un·di·lut·ed, adjective
  • un·di·lut·ing, adjective

Words that may be confused with dilute

Words Nearby dilute

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

How to use dilute in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for dilute

dilute

/ (daɪˈluːt) /


verb
  1. to make or become less concentrated, esp by adding water or a thinner

  2. to make or become weaker in force, effect, etc: he diluted his story

adjective
  1. chem

    • (of a solution, suspension, mixture, etc) having a low concentration or a concentration that has been reduced by admixture

    • (of a substance) present in solution, esp a weak solution in water: dilute acetic acid

Origin of dilute

1
C16: from Latin dīluere, from dis- apart + -luere, from lavāre to wash

Derived forms of dilute

  • dilutee, noun
  • diluter, 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