Also an act, state, or instance of dispersing or of being dispersed.
Optics.
the variation of the index of refraction of a transparent substance, as glass, with the wavelength of light, with the index of refraction increasing as the wavelength decreases.
the separation of white or compound light into its respective colors, as in the formation of a spectrum by a prism.
Statistics. the scattering of values of a variable around the mean or median of a distribution.
Military. a scattered pattern of hits of bombs dropped under identical conditions or of shots fired from the same gun with the same firing data.
Also called disperse system. Physical Chemistry. a system of dispersed particles suspended in a solid, liquid, or gas.
(initial capital letter) Diaspora.
another word for dispersal
physics
the separation of electromagnetic radiation into constituents of different wavelengths
D. a measure of the ability of a substance to separate by refraction, expressed by the first differential of the refractive index with respect to wavelength at a given value of wavelength
statistics the degree to which values of a frequency distribution are scattered around some central point, usually the arithmetic mean or median
chem a system containing particles dispersed in a solid, liquid, or gas
military the pattern of fire from a weapon system
the range of speeds of such objects as the stars in a galaxy
the frequency-dependent retardation of radio waves as they pass through the interstellar medium
the deviation of a rocket from its prescribed path
ecology the distribution pattern of an animal or a plant population
1350–1400; Middle English dispersio ( u ) n (< Anglo-French ) < Latin dispersiōn- (stem of dispersiō ), equivalent to dispers ( us ) ( see disperse) + -iōn- -ion
The noun dispersion means the process of distributing something over an area. A combination of your yearly planting of new bulbs and their natural tendency to spread has led to the dispersion of daffodils over your entire back yard. Dispersion refers to the act of spreading something, like your dispersion of sprinkles evenly over three dozen cupcakes. It can also be used to talk about the scattering of something across a very large range, such as the dispersion of people with Scottish heritage across the United States. The Latin root word is dispersione, which means a scattering.
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In a separate set of experiments, environmental engineer Dr. Amit Kumar combined cold atmospheric plasma with gas dispersion to destroy PFAS.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 20, 2026
Ultimately, when a risk event occurs, dispersion unwinds and correlations between stocks and the index rise rapidly.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 30, 2026
One of the study's most surprising findings involves a concept known as dispersion.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 25, 2026
Small-caps have other key advantages: attractive valuations and greater dispersion within the index.
From Barron's ● Jun. 18, 2026
Within small areas the beetles accomplish their own dispersion, moving on as soon as the Klamath weed dies out and locating new stands with great precision.
From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson
Kramer pointed to the Cboe S&P 500 Dispersion Index, which recently touched its highest level since March 2020, as more evidence of the tension present beneath the surface of the index.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 16, 2026
Dispersion of stocks has only once been higher when implied volatility, measured by the Vix, is so low.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 19, 2026
Dispersion is a fundamental property of electromagnetic waves.
From Science Daily ● Feb. 5, 2026
Dispersion may produce beautiful rainbows, but it can cause problems in optical systems.
From Textbooks ● Aug. 12, 2015
At length, in December, 1651, it was decided, through the urgent entreaties of Cromwell, but only by a small majority, that the present parliament should Dispersion of the Parliament. cease in November, 1654.
From A Modern History, From the Time of Luther to the Fall of Napoleon For the Use of Schools and Colleges by Lord, John
In both dispersions, the base polymer was a copolymer composed of the inexpensive, commercially available components styrene and butyl acrylate.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 13, 2023
"This year the macro economic picture has been one of dispersions," said Aspect's Remsing.
From Reuters ● Oct. 9, 2023
An even more creative trust stipulation might be to match the trust dispersions to their earned income annually, incentivizing them to work rather than rely on the inheritance alone.
From Slate ● Jan. 17, 2023
Ms. Marone also said Mr. Cleaver should check his own record before casting dispersions upon Mr. Hawley.
From Washington Times ● Jul. 8, 2022
When these two lenses are made of focal lengths which are directly proportional to their dispersions, they give a practically colorless image at their common focus.
From Pleasures of the telescope An Illustrated Guide for Amateur Astronomers and a Popular Description of the Chief Wonders of the Heavens for General Readers by Serviss, Garrett Putman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
