diffuse

From Middle French diffuser, from Latin diffūsus, past participle of diffundere, from dis- + fundere

• enPR: dĭfyo͞oz'
• (UK) IPA^(key): /dɪˈfjuːz/
• (US) IPA^(key): /dɪˈfjuz/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -uːz
• Homophone: defuse

diffuse (third-person singular simple present diffuses, present participle diffusing, simple past and past participle diffused)

1. (transitive) To spread over or through as in air, water, or other matter, especially by fluid motion or passive means.
   • Whewell

     We find this knowledge diffused among all civilized nations.

2. (intransitive) 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.

   The riot diffused quite suddenly.

The words diffuse and defuse are sometimes confused.

• forspread

• diffuser

From Middle English *diffuse (attested in adverb diffuseli), from Latin diffūsus.

• enPR: dĭfyo͞os'
• (UK) IPA^(key): /dɪˈfjuːs/
• (US) IPA^(key): /dɪˈfjus/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -uːs

diffuse (comparative more diffuse, superlative most diffuse)

1. Everywhere or throughout everything; not focused or concentrated.

   Such a diffuse effort is unlikely to produce good results.

2. Wordy; verbose.

• (not concentrated): spread out, thin; see also Thesaurus:diffuse
• (verbose): palaverous, prolix; see also Thesaurus:verbose

• diffusely

• diffusion

• diffuse in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

• Duffies

• IPA^(key): /difyz/

diffuse

1. first-person singular present indicative of diffuser
2. third-person singular present indicative of diffuser
3. first-person singular present subjunctive of diffuser
4. third-person singular present subjunctive of diffuser
5. second-person singular imperative of diffuser

diffuse

1. feminine singular of diffus

diffuse

1. inflected form of diffus

diffuse

1. third-person singular past historic of diffondere

diffuse

1. feminine plural of diffuso

diffuse

1. feminine plural of diffuso

From diffūsus (“scattered, spread”)

diffūsē (comparative diffūsius, superlative diffūsissimē)

1. diffusely, in a scattered manner.
2. copiously, fully

• diffūsus

• diffuse in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, 1st edition. (Oxford University Press)

diffuse

1. definite singular of diffus
2. plural form of diffus

diffuse

1. definite singular of diffus
2. plural form of diffus